Beasts of the Southern Wild

a word about the Oscar nominations

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Quvenzhane Wallis in BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Mainly, I’m just so glad that Beasts of the Southern Wild was nominated for Best Picture and that its star Quvenzhane Wallis (now nine years old) was nominated for Best Actress.  Both are very deserving of nominations, and it would have been easy for the Academy to overlook such a small indie film and its first-time director and actress.

For the most part, the Academy avoided leaving out the obviously deserving and rewarding the ridiculously underserving – very few big brainfarts this year.  I am completely baffled that Ben Affleck of Argo and Kathryn Bigelow of Zero Dark Thirty did not receive Best Director nods; (I would have passed over David O. Russell and Michael Haneke).  But that’s just about my only quibble.

Eight of the nine nominees for Best Picture are currently playing at your local theaters (although Amour is harder to find until next weekend).   Beasts of the Southern Wild is available on DVD from Netflix and Redbox and streams from a host of VOD services.

You can also find Flight at the theaters and watch Oscar-nominated Denzel Washington.  The Sessions, with Oscar favorite Helen Hunt, is still lurking in some second run houses.  Among the nominated documentaries, Invisible War is available on Netflix Instant and some VOD services, while Searching for Sugar Man is available from several VOD services (although pricey).

2012 at the Movies: the year’s best movies

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THE KID WITH A BIKE

Here’s my list of the best films of 2012: 1)  The Kid with a Bike, 2) Beasts of the Southern Wild, 3) Argo, 4) Lincoln, 5) A Separation, 6) Silver Linings Playbook, 7) Take This Waltz, 8) Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, 9) Elena and 10) Polisse, .

Continuing with my list of 2012’s best films, here are my honorable mentions:  Monsieur Lazhar,  End of Watch, Rampart, Moonrise Kingdom, Headhunters, Bernie and Detachment.

(Note:  I’m saving room for some films that I haven’t yet seen, especially Amour and Zero Dark Thirty, which I won’t get a chance to see until mid-January .)

You can watch the trailers and see my comments on all these films at Best Movies of 2012.

According to Metacritic, all of my picks (except Detachment) were highly rated by prominent critics.  I did disdain some well-reviewed films, most notably The Master, which made lots of critics’ end-of-year lists.

(Further Note:  A Separation won the 2011 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and Monsieur Lazhar was nominated, but neither were widely released in the US until 2012.  Similarly, The Kid with a Bike was screened in October 2011 at the New York Film Festival, but was not theatrically released in the US release until March 2012.  These films are on my 2012 list because, like most Americans, I couldn’t see them until 2012.)

2012 at the Movies: year of the child actor

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Quvenzhane Wallis in BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a special film, and its star Quvenzhane Wallis carries the movie. Although this is her first film and she was only six years old during the filming, I would not be surprised if she is nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. That’s how stirring her performance is.

As I wrote in my comments on Beasts, writer-director Benh Zeitlin was specially audacious to bet his movie on the performance of a six year old. But we’ve seen some remarkable performance by child actors this year – and in many of my Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

In my current pick for the top film of the year, the Dardennes brothers’ The Kid with the Bike , the story revolves around the 12-year old first time actor Thomas Doret. Doret pulls it off, delivering a performance of gripping intensity.

Although Mohammed Fellag is the lead in Monsieur Lazhar, there wouldn’t be a film without the performances by the kids, Sophie Nelisse and Emilien Neron.

Similarly, Wes Anderson’s delightful Moonrise Kingdom is carried by newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayman. Moonrise Kingdom is their movie; even Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand and Bill Murray are just along for the ride.

And in Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation, the key point of view is that of the ever watchful teenage daughter. She desperately wants her parents back together, views everything through this prism and is powerless to make it happen. She is played by Farhadi’s real life daughter Sarina.

Pierce Gagnon plays one compellingly terrifying four-year-old in Looper.

Overall, it’s an uncommonly impressive year for child actors.

Movies to See Right Now

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LIFE OF PI

Three films on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far are now in theaters.  In Lincoln, Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis push aside the marble statue and bring to life Abraham Lincoln the man.  Argo is Ben Affleck’s brilliant thriller based on a true story from the Iran Hostage Crisis.  The rewarding dramedy Silver Linings Playbook has a strong story, topicality and humor, but it’s worth seeing just for Jennifer Lawrence’s performance.

Ang Lee’s visually stunning fable Life of Pi is an enthralling commentary on story-telling.  The Sessions is an uncommonly evocative, funny and thoughtful film about sex leading to unexpected emotional intimacy. Denzel Washington stars in Flight, a thriller about the miraculous crash landing of an airliner and the even more dangerous battle against alcoholism. A Late Quartet is a gripping drama with a superb cast led by Christopher Walken and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The wild and puzzling art film Holy Motors has its moments, too.

The engrossing but overlong drama In the Family is more than just another social issue picture because of Patrick Wang’s authenticity as a writer and brilliance as a director.  The indie odd couple drama Starlet packs a surprising emotional punch.  In the entertaining Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren star as Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock as they collaborate on making Psycho.  Skyfall updates the James Bond franchise with thrilling action and a more shopworn 007 from Daniel Craig.

The crime drama Killing Them Softly wastes an excellent cast on a run-of-the-mill gangster story.  Chasing Mavericks is a predictable and heartwarming true story that is just OK for most movie-goers , but is a Must See if you’re into surfing and/or have an interest in the Santa Cruz and San Mateo coast. Cloud Atlas delivers six fast paced stories set across six centuries with lots of movie stars playing multiple roles; it’s fun to watch, but it’s not as good a film as the ones listed above. A Royal Affair is an overlong historical costume drama with two fine performances.  Skip the forgettable non-comedy Lay the Favorite.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the superb and important Beasts of the Southern Wild, which is currently #2 on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

DVD of the Week: Beasts of the Southern Wild

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Here’s a great movie unlike any you have seen before. A small girl and her dad live off the grid in a tiny hamlet on a Southern Louisiana tidal bayou. Responsible for their day-by-day survival by fishing and gathering, the dad is stressed, self-medicating and ailing. Then a killer hurricane threatens to obliterate their home, their way of life and them.

The story is told from the child’s point of view. The audience experiences both her reality as she understands it and, when she switches off reality, her imagination. In her mind, threats can take the form of prehistoric beasts called aurochs. Writer-director Benh Zeitlin shot the film from child height with a handheld camera, and used an entirely untrained cast. The result is a boisterous panoply that celebrates the indomitable human spirit.

In her first role, Quvenzhane Wallis carries the movie. She is on screen at least 70% of the time, and her performance is stirring. Zeitlin audaciously bet his debut feature on the performance of a six-year-old. He went all in and won the jackpot.

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a special film, and one of my Best Movies of 2012 – So Far. Universally critically acclaimed, it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the first film award at Cannes.

Pre-autumn look at the year’s best movies so far

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My top movie pick so far in 2012 - THE KID WITH THE BIKE

Here’s a pre-autumn check in with my running list of the year’s best films – Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.  I’ve included six foreign language films, from Belgium, France, Quebec, Iran, Russia and Turkey, and five American and Canadian independent films.  That’s par for the course, because I usually call out 23-28 movies on my end of the year list.

The Kid on the Bike and A Separation had very limited US theatrical runs at the end of 2011 to qualify for the 2012 Oscars.  But they weren’t available to most Americans until this year, so they’re on my 2012 list.

And guess what – there are zero Hollywood movies on the list.  That’s not a huge surprise because Hollywood generally releases its Oscar bait in the fall.  The hyped Hollywood fare coming up in 2012 includes Argo, Cloud Atlas, The Sessions and Hyde Park on Hudson (being released by the prestige arms of major studios).  The other promising prestige movies (Killing Them Softly, Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, etc.) are being released by mini-majors such as The Weinstein Company and Touchstone (the prestige arm of Dreamworks) and by the smaller indie distributors.

Here’s another surprise –  there no documentaries on my list so far.  Last year at this time, Project Nim, Buck and Tabloid were all on the list.  There are several promising documentaries yet to be released (Paul Williams Is Still Alive, Undefeated, The Gatekeepers, Stories We Tell, Mea Maxima Culpa, ), but, as of now,  it’s a down year.

Incidentally, you can still find Beasts of the Southern Wild in theaters.   Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Rampart, A Separation and Monsieur Lazhar are already available on DVD.   Detachment, Moonrise Kingdom, Elena and Take This Waltz will become available on DVD in  October.

Movies to See Right Now

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Lauren Ambrose and Mike Birbiglia in SLEEPWALK WITH ME

There are some very promising fall movies coming out this weekend (see below) to add to our our current crop of fine comedies, led by Sleepwalk With Me.  The zany French odd couple comedy The Intouchables is a crowd pleaser – and an attendance record breaker in France.  Frank Langella’s performance in Robot and Frank elevates the film from a pretty good comedy to a revealing study of getting older.   Celeste and Jesse Forever is a smart and authentic comedy of best friends too perfect for each other to fall in love at the same time.   Ruby Sparks is a hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.

It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York is a rollicking light culture clash comedy. The stylishly violent crime drama Lawless is well-made and well-acted but predictable. The bike messenger thriller Premium Rush is nothing more than a chase scene, but it’s a cool chase. The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles. The Words is a corny drama that insults the audience by over-explaining everything.

I haven’t yet seen The Master, Trouble with the Curve and House at the End of the Street.  You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is The Salt of Life, a gently funny and insightful Italian comedy about men of a certain age.

Movies to See This Week

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SLEEPWALK WITH ME

Sleepwalk With Me leads our current crop of fine comedies.   The zany French odd couple comedy The Intouchables is a crowd pleaser – and an attendance record breaker in France. Frank Langella’s performance in Robot and Frank elevates the film from a pretty good comedy to a revealing study of getting older.  Celeste and Jesse Forever is a smart and authentic comedy of best friends too perfect for each other to fall in love at the same time.  Ruby Sparks is a hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.

It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star. The same holds for Bill W., the story of the reluctant leader of a movement, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York is a rollicking light culture clash comedy. The stylishly violent crime drama Lawless is well-made and well-acted but predictable. The bike messenger thriller Premium Rush is nothing more than a chase scene, but it’s a cool chase. The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles.  The Words is a corny drama that insults the audience by over-explaining everything.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the darkly hilarious Norwegian thriller Headhunters.

Movies To See This Week

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THE INTOUCHABLES

Let’s face it – we’re now in a holding pattern, waiting for the big autumn movie releases. But, if you haven’t seen the four good comedies out now, you still have a chance. The zany French odd couple comedy The Intouchables is a crowd pleaser – and an attendance record breaker in France.  Frank Langella’s performance in Robot and Frank elevates the film from a pretty good comedy to a revealing study of getting older.  Celeste and Jesse Forever is a smart and authentic comedy of best friends too perfect for each other to fall in love at the same time.  Ruby Sparks is a hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.

It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star. The same holds for Bill W., the story of the reluctant leader of a movement, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York, which opens this week, is a rollicking light culture clash comedy.  The stylishly violent crime drama Lawless is well-made and well-acted but predictable. The bike messenger thriller Premium Rush is nothing more than a chase scene, but it’s a cool chase. The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles.

I haven’t yet seen the heralded drama The Words, which opens this weekend. You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the heartfelt French Canadian drama Monsieur Lazhar, another of the best films of the year.

Movies to See Right Now – Labor Day Edition

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ROBOT & FRANK

There are some good movies out this Labor Day, and four of them are comedies.  Frank Langella’s performance in Robot and Frank elevates the film from a pretty good comedy to a revealing study of getting older.  The zany French odd couple comedy The Intouchables is a crowd pleaser – and an attendance record breaker in France.  I am impressed by both Celeste and Jesse Forever and Ruby Sparks – each is written by an actress and each is a good time at the movies.  Celeste and Jesse Forever is a smart and authentic comedy of best friends too perfect for each other to fall in love at the same time.  Ruby Sparks is a hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.

It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star. The same holds for Bill W., the story of the reluctant leader of a movement, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York, which opens this week, is a rollicking light culture clash comedy.  I haven’t yet seen the stylishly violent crime drama Lawless is well-made and well-acted but predictable.  The bike messenger thriller Premium Rush is nothing more than a chase scene, but it’s a cool chase.  The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles. Magic Mike has male stripping, but no magic.

I haven’t yet seen the controversial indie drama Compliance or Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer, which open this weekend. You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is The Hunger Games, a well-paced, well-acted and intelligent sci-fi adventure fable for tweens – and for the rest of us, too.