Best Features of 2010
Jonathan Valin -- Fri, 12/24/2010 - 04:14
Well, here's my usual list, in order of merit. (Note that some of these films were actually released in late 2009, but I didn't see them until 2010.)
1) Winter's Bone, dir. Debra Granik
2) The Ghost Writer, dir. Roman Polanski
3) Bluebeard, dir.Catherine Breillat
4) The Secret in Their Eyes, dir. Juan Jose Campanella
5) Mother, dir. Joon-Ho Bong
6) The White Ribbon, dir. Michael Haneke
7) True Grit, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
8) 127 Hours, dir. Danny Boyle
9) The Kids Are All Right, dir. Lisa Cholodenko
10) The Fighter, dir. David O. Russell
Also recommended: The King's Speech, Inside Job, The Social Network, Greenberg, Not yet seen: Carlos, The Prophet, Exit through the Gift Shop. Seen but not recommended: Black Swan, I Am Love, Inception, The American.
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Hello JV. Glad you included TRUE GRIT on your list. Looks like it's time for our annual discussion of the Coen brothers work, once again aided by Roger Deakins cinematography.
Hey, Larry!
While the Coens' True Grit isn't going to knock the Hathaway version off its perch, it was surprisingly good. What it lacked for me was what all Coen films (save for Lebowski) lack--heart. Everyone, especially the Coens, say it is more "faithful to the book"--and in a literal sense it is, although the Hathaway version was scarcely a whole-cloth reinvention of the novel (and is in one way--the death of LaBoeuf--tougher and crueler). But when it comes to the spirit of the thing and to just plain old-fashioned good storytelling, I'd argue that Hathaway does a far better job of making us understand why Rooster nearly kills himself (and does kill poor Little Blackie) trying to save Mattie's life, because he makes us understand the unlikely romance of these two oddly kindred spirits--and, for me at least, the Coens don't.
The first True Grit is, when all is said and done, a better piece of storytelling and a more satisfying movie. This said, Bridges is excellent as Rooster (though, once again, he ain't going to knock the Duke from memory and legend). Indeed, the Coen film is extremely well acted by all and very well shot by Deakins (who happens to be my favorite cinematographer). But I'll take the heart--when it is earned, as it is in the first version of True Grit and that everyone now seems so eager to dismiss as "corn" or "hamminess"--over Coen-style ironic distance and literalism any day of any week of any year of any decade you'd care to name. For me, there is almost always a whiff of a postmodern lab experiment about the Coens' work--something not quite fully human.
Hi JV,
The Coen's fondness for quirky characters and odd dialog seems to drive most of their films lately. As far as performances, Jeff Bridges exonerates himself for TRON LEGACY in TRUE GRIT. As I recall John Wayne's performance in the original was very much a surprise to most audiences and reviewers. Jeff Bridges' portrayal of Rooster was very good, but no revelation, like Wayne's was, although it seemed that Bridges' probably had more fun with it than The Duke.
I felt that the casting of Mattie was better in the Coen Brothers version than the original. Roger Deakins stark, beautiful cinematography was almost minimalist in nature, in fact I felt there was a certain kinship to the existential westerns of the '60s here. Deakins is one of my favorite DPs as well.
There are few filmmakers around today who can tell a story like Henry Hathaway. Ford, Hathaway, Peckinpaw, they knew the almost lost art of sweeping an audience up in a story from the very first frame. The Coen's are great with detail, however I'm starting to feel their work of late has been more about quirkiness and less about story.
I wonder if they can top Lebowski. Wish it was the Coen's, and not P.T. Anderson, who were developing Thomas Pynchon's 'Inherent Vice".
Wishing you a Happy New Year of good viewing and good listening.
Larry
Terry and I just did Secret this afternoon, five stars out of 5 for these buffs. We never got so "into" the acting of a non-english actor before. Must be the eyes.
We have to ditto, White Ribbon, for the top ten too, JV, it's so damn contemplative and dreary. I hated watching it but loved seeing it? Yes. perhaps it's one of those in hind sight flicks. Gotta Love Haneke (my fav of his sor far, Terry adores Cache). White Ribbon is in our Q. GW, woulda, coulda, shoulda, fun fun, ohh, but what a crapo ending. If you like these… how about the Swimming Pool? Older but same thoughtfulness, offbeat and chock full of surprises.
PB