I listen to a lot of podcasts, and one of the more interesting ones is "WTF with Marc Maron". Maron is a stand-up comedian who interviews other comics, and is all about getting to the root of what makes people who they are. Comedians are an interesting lot, because so much of what they do is based on observation and introspection, so Maron's interviews often get to some very frank and honest discussion of what makes people tick. Yesterday, I was listening to an interview he did with hugely successful Writer/Director/Producer Judd Apatow. One part in particular stood out to me. I've transcribed it below (Also, you can listen to it here, it's the first 2:30 of segment B).
Apatow: When we were making “Funny People”, and I thought a lot about comedy and why I was obsessed with it, a lot of it was about that. Why do I need that much approval? Is there any point where I get enough approval and I’m full? And I’ve realized that there is no point. I received a letter from Steven Spielberg. Steven Speilberg, who I used to work for, for a long time at Dreamworks, was trying to reach me to say that he liked “Knocked Up”, and I so wanted a letter from him. Paul Fieg got one when we made “Freaks and Geeks”, and I was so jealous that he got a letter saying that he loved “Freaks and Geeks”. And I didn’t return the call and I told my assistant ‘can you say Judd’s out of town, and is it possible he could write a note,’ just so I could have the letter. I knew a complement was coming, and I’m so wounded, I needed to have it forever. And he sent me the dream letter, a beautiful letter with nothing but kindness. You know, a great guy, just what you want to feel whole as a person. And now I have it. But what happened afterwards is I thought to myself, “This is the best you can do.” Who else do I want to complement me? How many of these do I need to feel good about my work and myself. And how it doesn’t last, and the wound is still there.
Maron: What is the wound? Cause I know I have it. Have you figured out what it is?
Apatow: I’m not sure exactly.
Apatow's statement reminded me of something else that I saw recently. It's a "60 Minutes" interview with Tom Brady from back in 2005, fresh off winning his 3rd Super Bowl.
These are two men who, as they describe, are at the very top of their professions.
Apatow has been wildly successful making comedic movies that are both financial hits and critically acclaimed. He's largely recognized as having influenced most of the comedies of the last few years. As you read above, he got what he describes as "the dream letter" praising his work from none other than Steven Spielberg, one of the most beloved legends of film making.
Brady, at the time of this interview, is living every red-blooded American's dream. He is the best player at the most important position in America's favorite sport. He has won the highest honor in football 3 times in 4 years. He is called "the most eligible bachelor in America". The guy is rich, famous, successful, handsome, and he's dating a Brazilian supermodel. Seriously, if life is a game, he's winning by a LOT.
Both of these men have gotten everything this world has to offer in their particular fields. They're successful now, and they've left a legacy behind, they'll be remembered when they're gone. They've done it, they've reached the goal. And yet, there's something missing. Apatow calls it "the wound". Despite the fact that he's gotten the greatest praise from his greatest idol, it doesn't last. It doesn't fill up that desire for love and recognition and affirmation. Brady reached the pinnacle of the American dream. He climbed the mountain, got to the top, and said "There's gotta be more than this." When faced with the question of "What is that thing you're missing?" though, neither man has an answer.
C.S. Lewis famously wrote "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." Lewis has an answer for Judd Apatow and Tom Brady. They're searching for something in this world that will fulfill them, that will complete them, and they haven't found it because they're looking in the wrong place. The solution to our longing isn't found in the things of this world, in accomplishments and accolades, it's found in Jesus Christ. There is nothing in the world that will fill that hole, because nothing in this world was made to fit that hole.
When Jesus said "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" he wasn't just talking about the afterlife. You can gain the whole world and still not be fulfilled IN THIS LIFETIME. It's not just that you can't take it to heaven, it's that a life full of worldly accomplishments isn't going to satiate us even while we're still alive. That's why Augustine said "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you." It's why, despite the hardships and persecution which comes from the Christian life, Christ can say "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
Judd Apatow and Tom Brady have everything this world can offer, but they do not have abundant, fulfilled lives. There is only one way to mend "the wound", and it isn't the approval of peers or the body of a supermodel, it's the love of our savior.
Now, you could've read all that, or, for the same message, you could have skipped down to watch this video from my childhood:
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
My Year in Film: Part 3 - My Top 10 Movies
Wrapping it all up, here's my list of the top ten favorite movies that I saw this year. As with parts 1 and 2, here is the list of movies I saw this year.
The Best Movies I Saw This Year
I saw a lot of movies this year, and this is an attempt to list my top ten. It slants a bit towards films I've seen more recently, and it could be different tomorrow, but here it is today.
Honorable Mention: Tintin, X-Men: First Class, Horrible Bosses, Death to Smoochy, Goodfellas, Dear Zachary, Black Snake Moan, Network
10) Tucker and Dale vs Evil: I just had to watch this when it popped up on Netflix Instant. It's gotten a lot of buzz from the film geek community, and it's got Alan Tudyk. How could I resist that? It's a great premise, turning the slasher genre on its ear and milking it for tons of laughs. Tudyk and Tyler Labine have tremendous chemistry, and even though the film doesn't quite stick the landing, the two leads at the movie's heart keep it consistently hilarious.
9) Dark City: I've cooled on Dark City a bit since I first saw it. On the first viewing, I was blown away by how well structured the film was, how the puzzle gradually unravels until what seemed so strange at the start is completely clear. I still enjoy it a lot, but it didn't hold up quite as well after a few rewatches. There are parts that feel really dated, particularly the big fight scene. The Strangers are pretty great though, and plenty of the movie works well enough to be a favorite.
8) Attack the Block: Such an awesome little movie. The design of the aliens is really clever, and is a good way to work around the low budget. They're iconic and terrifying. The movie takes the kids seriously, it lets them be jerks and it lets them get killed. It also lets them be complete action heroes too, particularly John Boyega as Moses. The accents are a bit tough to adjust to, but you really should check it out. It's a slick, funny action film that feels completely unique.
7) Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: It doesn't feel right to consider these movies separately. They're just such a perfect pairing. Before Sunrise is the perfect film for the hopeless romantic, whereas Before Sunset finds the two leads having realized that youthful romance doesn't last forever. The movies form a pair of perfectly realized moments that feel completely authentic. Delphy and Hawke are quietly fantastic. These are small movies told not in broad, big strokes, but in the small moments, and the two leads excel in those moments.
6) How to Train Your Dragon: There's a sheer joy to this movie that is infectious. I think this is the first Dreamworks movie I've liked better than the Pixar movie of the same year (Toy Story 3). The animation of Toothless is really great, it's a very emotive character that you end up falling in love with. Love everything about this. It's got heart, humor, and the guts to have some consequences for the characters. One of my favorite animated movies.
5) Carrie: Surprised by how much I loved it. It's very much a spiritual predecessor to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which you all know I like a little bit :). The entire sequence leading up to the pig blood scene is equal parts moving and heart-breaking. You see Carrie's joy at standing up to her mother and coming out of her shell, but you also know what's coming, and the build up is excruciating. It's a really great high school drama which then just happens to turn into a crazy supernatural horror movie at the end.
4) Young Adult: I haven't been a huge fan of Charlize Theron until this film. She gives a fearless performance as a thoroughly unlikeable character. I love the guts that the movie has, making Mavis completely unredeemable. It's a great character piece, but it's also hilarious. It's filled with laugh out loud moments, and small touches (chugging Diet Coke, watching the Kardashians, etc.) that make it consistently funny. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending until I see it again, but I really loved the movie as a whole.
3) The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters: I listed Black Snake Moan as my most pleasant surprise of the year, but this one could have easily taken that spot. It sounds ridiculous: a documentary about a guy who sets the world record in Donkey Kong. How could that possibly be interesting? Every time I tell people how great this movie is, I get that "really?!?" stare. It is a great movie though. I've watched it more times than any other movie this year, and everyone I've shown it to has enjoyed it. The filmmakers stumbled into a fascinating world of competitive gaming, and they found a fantastic villain in Billy Mitchell. Really, you should check it out, you won't regret it.
2) Drive: Strangely compelling. That's the best description I can give of Drive. There are long stretches where not a lot happens, and there isn't much dialogue, but I never lost interest, it had me from the word go. It has such a unique visual aesthetic and kinetic soundtrack that it's constantly interesting. Ryan Gosling does a tremendous job without saying much of anything. He's believable as the quiet, sensitive guy wooing Carey Mulligan, but he's also believable as the stone-cold badass who efficiently and ruthlessly takes care of business. Stylish, entertaining, and unlike anything I've ever seen before.
1) Inglorious Basterds: I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but I LOVED it the second time. What I'd forgotten is just how crazy funny it is. Brad Pitt is hilarious, but Cristoph Waltz steals the show with his ability to be both scary and ridiculously funny ("That's a Bingo!"). The movie is just a constant parade of fantastic scenes and great performances. In addition to Pitt and Waltz, there's the always great Michael Fassbender and a truly fantastic turn by Melanie Laurent. Just wall-to-wall greatness.
The Best Movies I Saw This Year
I saw a lot of movies this year, and this is an attempt to list my top ten. It slants a bit towards films I've seen more recently, and it could be different tomorrow, but here it is today.
Honorable Mention: Tintin, X-Men: First Class, Horrible Bosses, Death to Smoochy, Goodfellas, Dear Zachary, Black Snake Moan, Network
10) Tucker and Dale vs Evil: I just had to watch this when it popped up on Netflix Instant. It's gotten a lot of buzz from the film geek community, and it's got Alan Tudyk. How could I resist that? It's a great premise, turning the slasher genre on its ear and milking it for tons of laughs. Tudyk and Tyler Labine have tremendous chemistry, and even though the film doesn't quite stick the landing, the two leads at the movie's heart keep it consistently hilarious.
9) Dark City: I've cooled on Dark City a bit since I first saw it. On the first viewing, I was blown away by how well structured the film was, how the puzzle gradually unravels until what seemed so strange at the start is completely clear. I still enjoy it a lot, but it didn't hold up quite as well after a few rewatches. There are parts that feel really dated, particularly the big fight scene. The Strangers are pretty great though, and plenty of the movie works well enough to be a favorite.
8) Attack the Block: Such an awesome little movie. The design of the aliens is really clever, and is a good way to work around the low budget. They're iconic and terrifying. The movie takes the kids seriously, it lets them be jerks and it lets them get killed. It also lets them be complete action heroes too, particularly John Boyega as Moses. The accents are a bit tough to adjust to, but you really should check it out. It's a slick, funny action film that feels completely unique.
7) Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: It doesn't feel right to consider these movies separately. They're just such a perfect pairing. Before Sunrise is the perfect film for the hopeless romantic, whereas Before Sunset finds the two leads having realized that youthful romance doesn't last forever. The movies form a pair of perfectly realized moments that feel completely authentic. Delphy and Hawke are quietly fantastic. These are small movies told not in broad, big strokes, but in the small moments, and the two leads excel in those moments.
6) How to Train Your Dragon: There's a sheer joy to this movie that is infectious. I think this is the first Dreamworks movie I've liked better than the Pixar movie of the same year (Toy Story 3). The animation of Toothless is really great, it's a very emotive character that you end up falling in love with. Love everything about this. It's got heart, humor, and the guts to have some consequences for the characters. One of my favorite animated movies.
5) Carrie: Surprised by how much I loved it. It's very much a spiritual predecessor to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which you all know I like a little bit :). The entire sequence leading up to the pig blood scene is equal parts moving and heart-breaking. You see Carrie's joy at standing up to her mother and coming out of her shell, but you also know what's coming, and the build up is excruciating. It's a really great high school drama which then just happens to turn into a crazy supernatural horror movie at the end.
4) Young Adult: I haven't been a huge fan of Charlize Theron until this film. She gives a fearless performance as a thoroughly unlikeable character. I love the guts that the movie has, making Mavis completely unredeemable. It's a great character piece, but it's also hilarious. It's filled with laugh out loud moments, and small touches (chugging Diet Coke, watching the Kardashians, etc.) that make it consistently funny. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending until I see it again, but I really loved the movie as a whole.
3) The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters: I listed Black Snake Moan as my most pleasant surprise of the year, but this one could have easily taken that spot. It sounds ridiculous: a documentary about a guy who sets the world record in Donkey Kong. How could that possibly be interesting? Every time I tell people how great this movie is, I get that "really?!?" stare. It is a great movie though. I've watched it more times than any other movie this year, and everyone I've shown it to has enjoyed it. The filmmakers stumbled into a fascinating world of competitive gaming, and they found a fantastic villain in Billy Mitchell. Really, you should check it out, you won't regret it.
2) Drive: Strangely compelling. That's the best description I can give of Drive. There are long stretches where not a lot happens, and there isn't much dialogue, but I never lost interest, it had me from the word go. It has such a unique visual aesthetic and kinetic soundtrack that it's constantly interesting. Ryan Gosling does a tremendous job without saying much of anything. He's believable as the quiet, sensitive guy wooing Carey Mulligan, but he's also believable as the stone-cold badass who efficiently and ruthlessly takes care of business. Stylish, entertaining, and unlike anything I've ever seen before.
1) Inglorious Basterds: I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but I LOVED it the second time. What I'd forgotten is just how crazy funny it is. Brad Pitt is hilarious, but Cristoph Waltz steals the show with his ability to be both scary and ridiculously funny ("That's a Bingo!"). The movie is just a constant parade of fantastic scenes and great performances. In addition to Pitt and Waltz, there's the always great Michael Fassbender and a truly fantastic turn by Melanie Laurent. Just wall-to-wall greatness.
Monday, January 2, 2012
My Year in Film: Part 2 - Assorted Awards
Continuing from yesterday's post, I'm detailing my year in watching movies. Yesterday, I listed my favorite scenes from movies I watched this year. In this post, I'm going to list some other random superlatives, as well as the 5 worst movies I watched this year. As with yesterday's post, these all come from the list of movies that I watched for the first time this year, which can be found here.
Most Disappointing Movie
Punch Drunk Love - Just to be clear, Punch Drunk Love is not a bad movie. There are a handful of really great scenes and stunning visuals, but it doesn't connect as a whole. I'd heard great things about it, and I really liked Hard Eight, the other movie I watched this year from Paul Thomas Anderson. I'd heard it compared to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, since they're both quirky romances from auteur directors starring zany comedic actors in dramatic roles. Eternal Sunshine is my favorite movie of all time, and this just didn't come anywhere close to it. It's so heightened and surreal that I just couldn't get invested in the characters, there's nothing real to ground the film. It's not bad, but I was expecting greatness instead of interesting, loosely connected scenes.
Most Pleasant Surprise
Black Snake Moan - Who knew that a movie about a sex addict, a soldier stricken by panic attacks and a recently divorced man could end up being so joyful? It's not fun, fun, fun all the time certainly, but Craig Brewer keeps the movie from getting bogged down in some pretty dark material. So, rather than being a dreary slog, we get a vibrant movie steeped in Southern culture that finds answers to sin and struggles in faith and commitment. Christina Ricci gives a fearless performance of incredible physicality that was one of the best I saw all year.
Best Performance
Michael Fassbender: X-Men:First Class, Hunger, Inglorious Basterds - I cheated a little bit on this one, picking Fassbender for his whole body of work I saw this year. I went from having never seen a Fassbender movie to considering him one of my favorite actors working today. You could hardly find 3 more different roles than the ones above, but he crushes all of them. In particular, his performance as Magneto in X-Men totally carries the film. It's a hard thing to follow Ian McKellen, but Fassbender totally nails the passion and intensity at the heart of the character. Fassbender's career is exploding right now, so get on the bandwagon now.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Gosling (Drive), Christophe Waltz (Inglorious Basterds), Saorise Ronan (Hanna), Sissy Spacek (Carrie), Christina Ricci (Black Snake Moan)
Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2012
Looper - Two of my personal favorite movies are Brick and The Brothers Bloom, both by director Rian Johnson. Looper is Johnson's next effort, about a time traveling hitman. It features a fantastic cast (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels), and Shane Carruth (Primer) consulted on the film. I couldn't be any more excited about this.
The Avengers - It's a freaking live-action, big budget AVENGERS MOVIE!!! That alone would be enough to warm a young nerd's heart, but add the fact that it's directed by Joss Whedon? Sign me up for that right now.
The Dark Knight Rises - I don't really need to explain this one, do I?
The Hobbit - Ditto.
Prometheus - Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) returns to sci-fi with this prequel(?) to Alien. I wasn't completely sold until the amazing trailer came out last month. The cast includes Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Guy Pierce. Oh yeah, it's also got that Fassbender fellow, who I kind of like.
5 Worst Movies I Saw This Year
5. Wonder Boys - I saw this on Netflix Instant and was so excited about it. Robert Downey Jr., Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Tobey McGuire, how could it not be good? Lots of actors I like, all in service of a really crappy movie. Unfunny, overwrought, and full of completely unlikeable characters. Ugh. There are apparently a lot of people that really like this, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.
4. Push - The worst thing about Push is that it could be good. The world it creates is interesting, and I thought Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning did a good job in their parts. The story is just so dull though. If only this idea had been given to a stronger writer, or a director who could have injected some energy into the proceedings. Instead, it's just dull and stupid. A waste of good worldbuilding.
3. Freejack - This movie features Mick Jagger in a prominent role. He is exactly as good an actor as you would expect. Campy, nonsensical and all-around terrible. Its saving grace is that it's so bad it occasionally circles around and becomes watchable again. It's not bad enough to be a "so bad it's good" fixture though, mostly it's just awful.
2. Chaos Theory - Look, Ryan Reynolds is not a great actor. He's not a movie star who can single-handedly carry summer blockbusters. He is, however, an incredibly charismatic individual who can be charming and affable in even the worst movies. The worst movies, at least, other than this one. In addition to being dull, bland and dumb, the movie manages to make Reynolds boring and unlikeable. Ugh.
1. Killers - You know, Mr and Mrs Smith isn't a great movie. It's a decent film, but the reason it's so fun and watchable is because Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have CRAZY good chemistry. I mean, you watch that movie, and they just burn up the screen together. It takes an ok movie and makes it super-entertaining. Well, Killers is like that, only the complete opposite.
If you missed it, check out Part 1 of My Year in Film, and check back in later for Part 3
Most Disappointing Movie
Punch Drunk Love - Just to be clear, Punch Drunk Love is not a bad movie. There are a handful of really great scenes and stunning visuals, but it doesn't connect as a whole. I'd heard great things about it, and I really liked Hard Eight, the other movie I watched this year from Paul Thomas Anderson. I'd heard it compared to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, since they're both quirky romances from auteur directors starring zany comedic actors in dramatic roles. Eternal Sunshine is my favorite movie of all time, and this just didn't come anywhere close to it. It's so heightened and surreal that I just couldn't get invested in the characters, there's nothing real to ground the film. It's not bad, but I was expecting greatness instead of interesting, loosely connected scenes.
Most Pleasant Surprise
Black Snake Moan - Who knew that a movie about a sex addict, a soldier stricken by panic attacks and a recently divorced man could end up being so joyful? It's not fun, fun, fun all the time certainly, but Craig Brewer keeps the movie from getting bogged down in some pretty dark material. So, rather than being a dreary slog, we get a vibrant movie steeped in Southern culture that finds answers to sin and struggles in faith and commitment. Christina Ricci gives a fearless performance of incredible physicality that was one of the best I saw all year.
Best Performance
Michael Fassbender: X-Men:First Class, Hunger, Inglorious Basterds - I cheated a little bit on this one, picking Fassbender for his whole body of work I saw this year. I went from having never seen a Fassbender movie to considering him one of my favorite actors working today. You could hardly find 3 more different roles than the ones above, but he crushes all of them. In particular, his performance as Magneto in X-Men totally carries the film. It's a hard thing to follow Ian McKellen, but Fassbender totally nails the passion and intensity at the heart of the character. Fassbender's career is exploding right now, so get on the bandwagon now.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Gosling (Drive), Christophe Waltz (Inglorious Basterds), Saorise Ronan (Hanna), Sissy Spacek (Carrie), Christina Ricci (Black Snake Moan)
Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2012
Looper - Two of my personal favorite movies are Brick and The Brothers Bloom, both by director Rian Johnson. Looper is Johnson's next effort, about a time traveling hitman. It features a fantastic cast (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels), and Shane Carruth (Primer) consulted on the film. I couldn't be any more excited about this.
The Avengers - It's a freaking live-action, big budget AVENGERS MOVIE!!! That alone would be enough to warm a young nerd's heart, but add the fact that it's directed by Joss Whedon? Sign me up for that right now.
The Dark Knight Rises - I don't really need to explain this one, do I?
The Hobbit - Ditto.
Prometheus - Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) returns to sci-fi with this prequel(?) to Alien. I wasn't completely sold until the amazing trailer came out last month. The cast includes Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Guy Pierce. Oh yeah, it's also got that Fassbender fellow, who I kind of like.
5 Worst Movies I Saw This Year
5. Wonder Boys - I saw this on Netflix Instant and was so excited about it. Robert Downey Jr., Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Tobey McGuire, how could it not be good? Lots of actors I like, all in service of a really crappy movie. Unfunny, overwrought, and full of completely unlikeable characters. Ugh. There are apparently a lot of people that really like this, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why.
4. Push - The worst thing about Push is that it could be good. The world it creates is interesting, and I thought Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning did a good job in their parts. The story is just so dull though. If only this idea had been given to a stronger writer, or a director who could have injected some energy into the proceedings. Instead, it's just dull and stupid. A waste of good worldbuilding.
3. Freejack - This movie features Mick Jagger in a prominent role. He is exactly as good an actor as you would expect. Campy, nonsensical and all-around terrible. Its saving grace is that it's so bad it occasionally circles around and becomes watchable again. It's not bad enough to be a "so bad it's good" fixture though, mostly it's just awful.
2. Chaos Theory - Look, Ryan Reynolds is not a great actor. He's not a movie star who can single-handedly carry summer blockbusters. He is, however, an incredibly charismatic individual who can be charming and affable in even the worst movies. The worst movies, at least, other than this one. In addition to being dull, bland and dumb, the movie manages to make Reynolds boring and unlikeable. Ugh.
1. Killers - You know, Mr and Mrs Smith isn't a great movie. It's a decent film, but the reason it's so fun and watchable is because Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have CRAZY good chemistry. I mean, you watch that movie, and they just burn up the screen together. It takes an ok movie and makes it super-entertaining. Well, Killers is like that, only the complete opposite.
If you missed it, check out Part 1 of My Year in Film, and check back in later for Part 3
Sunday, January 1, 2012
My Year in Film: Part 1 - The Best Scenes
As I posted last year, I've become a big movie geek in the past few years. As I wrote about in my last post, Netflix Instant Watch has provided easy access to tons of films, so this year I managed to see 103 movies that I hadn't seen before. This year, I kept a pretty accurate list (I may have missed 1 or 2) and wrote a little synopsis for each one. If you want to check that out, you can see it here.
I like to write about movies, so "My Year in Film" is going to come in three parts. This post is about the best scenes I saw in movies this year, so be prepared for a lot of embedded videos. Also, there's a little language and a little violence in some of these scenes, so consider yourself warned. With that said, here, in no particular order, are my 10 favorite scenes from that list of movies that I saw for the first time this year.
My Favorite Scenes From 2011
The Michael Caine-Off - The Trip: Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan play characters who are essentially themselves in this little road trip movie. The highlights of the film are when the two gifted impressionists show off their dueling impressions. Of those contests, the best is when they take on the oft-imitated Michael Caine.
The Bar Shootout - Inglorious Basterds: Our first entry from the "Michael Fassbender is Awesome" category, this scene is one of several I could have pulled from Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece. After being outed as a British spy, Fassbender switches from imitating a German officer to being very, very British. He then, in the face of death, calmly downs his scotch before the entire bar explodes in gunfire.
(from 3:35- 4:50)
Calculating Troops - In the Loop: The hilarious British political satire is at its best in this scene, where James Gandolfini, playing a US general, calculates troop numbers on a kiddie computer. It's a small joke, but it totally had me in stitches the first time I watched it.
The Restaurant Scene - Goodfellas: It's one of the more famous shots in cinema history. Scorsese is the master of the long tracking shot, and this is the foremost example of that. The camera follows Henry and Karen as they enter the restaurant through the backdoor, and in one unbroken, three minute take, we get a firsthand look at the privileges Henry's life affords him. Beautiful to watch and technically incredible. The best quality version on YouTube won't embed, so here's the link to it.
The Dance of the Black Swan - Black Swan: Even if you don't enjoy his movies, one can't deny that Darren Aronofsky is, if nothing else, a brilliant visual artist. His films feature some of the most striking and beautiful images I've ever seen. Here, Aronofsky shows Natalie Portman's Nina embracing her dark, passionate side by literally having her become the black swan. The mix of dancing and seamless technological wizardry results in a sequence that is both disturbing and beautiful (also, the sound design is excellent, as it is throughout the movie).
(2:50-5:00)
Dialogue with the Priest - Hunger: The majority of Hunger is without dialogue. It's a stark piece of visual storytelling that is deeply unsettling. In the middle of it, though, is a 20 minute dialogue between Fassbender's Bobby Sands and his priest. The dialogue is sharp, funny at parts, but gradually growing more and more intense. It doesn't just set up the second half of the movie, it tells you who this character is, and why he's willing to go through such hell.
(Part 1 is embedded here, click for parts 2 and 3)
Expectations vs Reality - (500) Days of Summer: For the most part, (500) Days of Summer is an ok movie that coasts on the charisma of its star (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). In this scene, though, the film does something extremely clever, but (and this is important) not simply clever for the sake of being clever. JGL's character goes to a party thrown by the girl he can't get over (Zooey Deschanel). The scene plays out in split-screen, one side showing his expectations of what would happen while the other show what is really happening. It's something I think everyone can relate to (I know I certainly can), and provides a powerful emotional moment in the middle of an otherwise forgettable film.
The Elevator Scene - Drive: Perhaps no scene on this list better captures the essence of the entire film better than this one. Drive is a strange movie, telling its story more with visual style and music than it does with dialogue. It's about the slow-burn romance between Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, but is filled short bursts of hyper-violence. The elevator scene encapsulates all of that. Wordlessly, it couples one of the most intense romantic moments of the year with on of the most violent moments of the year.
Composing the Requiem - Amadeus: In this scene from the end of the film, Salieri must help his rival, the ailing Mozart, compose his final requiem. As they do so, we hear the music that the men are hearing in their minds, the beautiful sound of Mozart's final piece. In this scene, we see the difference between the two composers clearly. Salieri clearly has a brilliant musical mind, with the talent to follow along as Mozart explains the music to him. He is not, however, the genius that Mozart is. He has the curse of being able to recognize true greatness, but being unable to create it himself.
Magneto the Nazi Hunter - X-Men:First Class: And here we have our third appearance from the acting powerhouse that is Michael Fassbender. This scene made me wish we'd gotten a whole movie of Fassbender's Magneto traveling the world hunting Nazis. Seriously, if you didn't know who he was before, you should start paying attention to Fassbender. The guy can do anything, and he's quickly becoming my favorite actor.
So, there you have it. Those are ten of my favorite scenes from movies that I saw for the first time this year. Obviously, because it isn't limited to 2011 movies, it's a bit of a strange list, but there it is. Check back later for parts 2 and 3, where I'll be listing my favorite and least favorite films I saw, as well as some other superlatives.
I like to write about movies, so "My Year in Film" is going to come in three parts. This post is about the best scenes I saw in movies this year, so be prepared for a lot of embedded videos. Also, there's a little language and a little violence in some of these scenes, so consider yourself warned. With that said, here, in no particular order, are my 10 favorite scenes from that list of movies that I saw for the first time this year.
My Favorite Scenes From 2011
The Michael Caine-Off - The Trip: Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan play characters who are essentially themselves in this little road trip movie. The highlights of the film are when the two gifted impressionists show off their dueling impressions. Of those contests, the best is when they take on the oft-imitated Michael Caine.
The Bar Shootout - Inglorious Basterds: Our first entry from the "Michael Fassbender is Awesome" category, this scene is one of several I could have pulled from Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece. After being outed as a British spy, Fassbender switches from imitating a German officer to being very, very British. He then, in the face of death, calmly downs his scotch before the entire bar explodes in gunfire.
(from 3:35- 4:50)
Calculating Troops - In the Loop: The hilarious British political satire is at its best in this scene, where James Gandolfini, playing a US general, calculates troop numbers on a kiddie computer. It's a small joke, but it totally had me in stitches the first time I watched it.
The Restaurant Scene - Goodfellas: It's one of the more famous shots in cinema history. Scorsese is the master of the long tracking shot, and this is the foremost example of that. The camera follows Henry and Karen as they enter the restaurant through the backdoor, and in one unbroken, three minute take, we get a firsthand look at the privileges Henry's life affords him. Beautiful to watch and technically incredible. The best quality version on YouTube won't embed, so here's the link to it.
The Dance of the Black Swan - Black Swan: Even if you don't enjoy his movies, one can't deny that Darren Aronofsky is, if nothing else, a brilliant visual artist. His films feature some of the most striking and beautiful images I've ever seen. Here, Aronofsky shows Natalie Portman's Nina embracing her dark, passionate side by literally having her become the black swan. The mix of dancing and seamless technological wizardry results in a sequence that is both disturbing and beautiful (also, the sound design is excellent, as it is throughout the movie).
(2:50-5:00)
Dialogue with the Priest - Hunger: The majority of Hunger is without dialogue. It's a stark piece of visual storytelling that is deeply unsettling. In the middle of it, though, is a 20 minute dialogue between Fassbender's Bobby Sands and his priest. The dialogue is sharp, funny at parts, but gradually growing more and more intense. It doesn't just set up the second half of the movie, it tells you who this character is, and why he's willing to go through such hell.
(Part 1 is embedded here, click for parts 2 and 3)
Expectations vs Reality - (500) Days of Summer: For the most part, (500) Days of Summer is an ok movie that coasts on the charisma of its star (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). In this scene, though, the film does something extremely clever, but (and this is important) not simply clever for the sake of being clever. JGL's character goes to a party thrown by the girl he can't get over (Zooey Deschanel). The scene plays out in split-screen, one side showing his expectations of what would happen while the other show what is really happening. It's something I think everyone can relate to (I know I certainly can), and provides a powerful emotional moment in the middle of an otherwise forgettable film.
The Elevator Scene - Drive: Perhaps no scene on this list better captures the essence of the entire film better than this one. Drive is a strange movie, telling its story more with visual style and music than it does with dialogue. It's about the slow-burn romance between Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, but is filled short bursts of hyper-violence. The elevator scene encapsulates all of that. Wordlessly, it couples one of the most intense romantic moments of the year with on of the most violent moments of the year.
Composing the Requiem - Amadeus: In this scene from the end of the film, Salieri must help his rival, the ailing Mozart, compose his final requiem. As they do so, we hear the music that the men are hearing in their minds, the beautiful sound of Mozart's final piece. In this scene, we see the difference between the two composers clearly. Salieri clearly has a brilliant musical mind, with the talent to follow along as Mozart explains the music to him. He is not, however, the genius that Mozart is. He has the curse of being able to recognize true greatness, but being unable to create it himself.
Magneto the Nazi Hunter - X-Men:First Class: And here we have our third appearance from the acting powerhouse that is Michael Fassbender. This scene made me wish we'd gotten a whole movie of Fassbender's Magneto traveling the world hunting Nazis. Seriously, if you didn't know who he was before, you should start paying attention to Fassbender. The guy can do anything, and he's quickly becoming my favorite actor.
So, there you have it. Those are ten of my favorite scenes from movies that I saw for the first time this year. Obviously, because it isn't limited to 2011 movies, it's a bit of a strange list, but there it is. Check back later for parts 2 and 3, where I'll be listing my favorite and least favorite films I saw, as well as some other superlatives.
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