SAVAGE CINEMA'S COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR APRIL 2011

A SELF IMPOSED HIATUS

March 2011 was a completely unexpected month in the life of Savage Cinema, or more truthfully, just my life period.

For the very first time since this site's inception, March was a month that contained absolutely no postings other than the introductory "Coming Attractions" teaser and please believe me, dear readers, that absence of material was completely unplanned. Without going into the particulars in a more detailed degree, my life was consumed with stresses from the vehicular to the over-arching political as the city in which I live is indeed under siege from megalomanaical politicians.

My life became (in addition to the standard duties of my primary occupation as preschool teacher and life duties as husband and home owner) filled to the brim with political protests and oceans of worry at the unknown. An unknown that still could potentially hinder my ability to even see the very movies I wish to engage with and write about. And then, I became ill, on top of it all, and only now do I feel that I am beginning to crawl out of that foxhole of a month, blinking my eyes at the light of the world.

Regardless of the fact that March simply contained scant movies that I even wished to see at all, the lack of material was quite simple actually: my heart was broken.

You see, as I once said to a friend, I am Savage Cinema and Savage Cinema is me, the two are linked forever. I say that to you now because I believe it to be obvious that this site is one of my life's passions and every word I write is an extension of my inner being and spirit. They are symbiotic and inseparable from each other. If I am just not feeling it, so to speak, I just cannot write and March was a month where I just was not feeling the impetus to compose. I had begun two postings half-heartedly but just could not finish them.

But, now, I suppose I am feeling a certain inner flame trying to burn once again and I am trying to get myself going. I have seen one film within the last week and the words are beginning to flow. And I will try to piece together those two aforementioned postings that I had not completed. And moreso, I have been so pleased to discover that Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere" has finally arrived in my city for a one week engagement and nothing will keep me away from that.

So, wish me well and I will try to write once again, presenting my thoughts to you for your reading pleasure. I will see you when the house lights go down...

SAVAGE CINEMA'S COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR MARCH 2011

I find myself in a strange, precarious position for this month as the immediate future of Savage Cinema is unforeseeable.

Yes, March is typically a slow movie month during any cinematic year and there is not much on the horizon that I am actually excited about. I am curious about the new independant comedy "Cedar Rapids" as well as the gritty looking science fiction thriller "Battle: Los Angeles," yet I am not entirely certain if time and money will allow for those cinematic risks as of yet.

I am currently composing a new entry for "Savage Cinema Revisits," featuring an obscure work from Cameron Crowe, that I had not been able to properly finish for last month but it is in the hopper. Additionally, I do have some ideas for new entries in the "Revisits" series as well as the "Buried Treasure" series and I may indulge those during the month.

But, there is a much larger issue at hand...

I will not engage you, dear readers, in any proselytizing or soapbox ravings as I have done so elsewhere more than enough. But, simply stated, events in Madison, WI are intense and wide reaching and potentially may impede my ability to indulge in my life-long cinematic passions. So much is currently unknown, making the future of Savage Cinema equally hazy.

I will try my very best to keep the ship sailing but if there needs to be a hiatus, then I will compose a special announcement for all of you if that time should arrive.

Otherwise, I will carry onwards as usual and I'll see you when the house light go down...I hope.

Lord, do I hope.

SAVAGE CINEMA'S 2011 OSCAR WRAP-UP

First things first...an award should be given immediately to Anne Hathaway for her stellar work as Co-Hostess of this year's Academy Awards telecast.

Where Co-Host James Franco seemed to be uncomfortable and stiff in his role, Hathaway looked to be right at home on stage, with her effortless charm, warmth, humor, unscripted asides, wonderful singing voice and yes folks, her unquestionable beauty which seemed to grow as this looooooong night carried onwards. Anne Hathaway was the shining beacon of yet another long Oscar night and hopefully, she will be asked to return to host the show next year...preferably as a solo act.

Now, if only the show itself were anywhere up to Hathaway's standards.

Yes, dear readers, this year's Oscar telecast was, more often than not, a bust. It was the definition of awkward and odd, filled with dead spots, superfluous padding and could someone please inform me if there was something wrong with the teleprompter this evening as actor after actor all seemed to be auditioning for the leading role as the verbally challenged King of this year's Oscar winner for Best Picture "The King's Speech." It was really a terrible, terrible show. Aside from Anne Hathaway and some moments here and there, it was completely unworthy of the films the Academy chose to honor.

I do not understand how or why the producers can never seem to get this show right and tonight's offering was no exception and to a nearly painful degree as it was an almost lifeless affair. As I have said before, I wish that the Oscars were more like the Golden Globes as that telecast keeps the proceedings moving rapidly, giving out award after award, keeping everything fresh and sharp and with a host like Ricky Gervais, the program is filled to the brim with scathingly memorable humor. And furthermore, the actors are all allowed to imbibe copious amounts of spirits, making the atmosphere akin to a festival.

The Academy Awards, and this year's program in particular, felt like an interminable dirge, slogging through its legacy with endless self-importance while never really capturing a flow or a sense of fun. And if celebrating the art and artistry of the movies cannot be fun, then what's the point.

All of that being said, here are some things I have thought about now that the show is FINALLY over.

1. Beginning with my predictions, I didn't do to shabby, I must say. Out of all of the categories in which I made my imperfect guesses, I am proud to say that I was correct for all but two categories, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director.

2. Was it just me or did Best Supporting Actress winner Melissa Leo's acceptance speech feel more than a little forced as if she rehearsed her breathless disbelief a few too many times, including her dropping of the dreaded F-Bomb. It just felt so false, as false as her personally driven "For Your Consideration" campaigning seemed to be. Yes, she is an excellent actress and of course, she wanted to win. But, I just think that the work should speak for itself.

3. On the other hand, Kirk Douglas is a foxy old man, reminding us all why he is the legend that he is through his natural humor and having the charisma of the most captivating scoundrel.

4. Anne Hathaway was a spectacular hostess. Did I mention that already? She just grew more luminous with each wardrobe change, making the grandness of the stage conform to her.

5. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are a dream team and completely and successfully evaded the death trap that was the teleprompter with some of the only fresh, sharp humor of the night.

6. With all of the technical wins that "Inception" deservedly received, I thoroughly enjoyed how all of the winners thanked Writer/Director Christopher Nolan for his vision, emphasizing that is nothing they accomplished could have been achieved without him. A perfect poke in the eye to the Academy as Nolan was shockingly not nominated in the category of Best Director.

7. The Auto-Tune Movie Musicals section was cute. As were the opening clip montage by Kyle Cooper and the "Inception" themed montage comedy opening skit.

8. For all of the rambling speeches of the evening, my favorites happened to be from the screenwriters. Aaron Sorkin who deservedly won for his Best Adapted Screenplay for "The Social Network" spoke just as he writes: blisteringly fast, witty and daring you to keep up with his flow of his beautifully chosen words. David Seidler, who won for Best Original Screenplay for "The King's Speech," spoke to the late bloomers in us all, giving us inspiration in the process.

9. I still do not know why they are still having actors personally address nominated actors seated in the audience. It's awkward and it's padded. Just get on with it! And speaking of padding, please just get rid of the Best Original Song category!

10. My biggest cheer of the night arrived when Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won for their brilliant score to "The Social Network." It felt like a treasured high school classmate made it to the top of the world.

11. Wasn't Anne Hathaway just wonderful?

Like the song by Radiohead, this year's Oscar telecast, as far as the winner's were concerned, held no surprises but by the same token there were no glaring winners that should not have been recognized (although I am not sold on "The Fighter").

If it weren't for Hathaway, there would have been very little worth watching for such a long time. And yet, I wouldn't miss this show for the world.

I'll see you all next year...with hopefully Anne Hathaway in the driver's seat again!

SAVAGE CINEMA'S 2011 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

A TENTATIVE STEP FOREWORD

Admittedly, I am feeling more than a little foolish going ahead with this latest entry as current tumultuous political events within my city of Madison, WI have made the idea of the Academy Awards telecast and my personal Oscar predictions feel more than a little trite, ridiculous, and useless.

But, here I am writing for myself and writing to you, dear readers, for what else would I do? I think that I should be carrying onwards. not as if to pretend nothing is happening. But because writing about movies is what I love to do and I should not allow that love to be stripped away from me. Life flows onwards and film, being such a big part of my life for almost the entirety of my life, deserves to always be nurtured and tended. So, despite everything and even my own sense of self-doubt and fears of senseless frivolity, here I am.

SAVAGE CINEMA'S 2011 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

On Sunday, February 27th, we will all have the answers to our cinematic questions concerning the winners of this year's Oscar race. And a race it is as much of the nature of predictions such as these has slightly less to do with quality and a tad more to do with Hollywood politics. Certainly, since I have not even seen every single film nominated for an award, I will have to do a fair amount of guess work and play a few political games so here goes...

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
SHOULD WIN: Hailee Steinfeld "True Grit"
WILL WIN: Hailee Steinfeld "True Grit"
I am swinging for the fences right away with a category that logic tells me will go to Melissa Leo for her work in "The Fighter," but I am having this nagging gut feeling and I thought I would go for it anyway. Typically, this category is one of the first awards of the evening and again, logic tells me that the coronation of Melissa Leo is inevitable. Leo is an actress I have long admired, most notably for her work on television's unmatched "Homicide: Life On The Street." She has been working for so very long and now seems to be the time to anoint her with Oscar gold--especially as she has been campaigning for herself heavily with a glammer than glam series of promotional "For Your Consideration" photos. She obviously wants this win very badly.

Now, for me, as good of an actress as Leo is, I felt her work in "The Fighter" to be more of a caricature than her playing a full blown character. Amy Adams, from the same film, gave a much stronger performance but I don't think it's quite time for her to receive that Oscar yet. For me, my favorite performance--and the one I think that the Academy will not ignore--was from someone who I felt was nominated in the wrong category as her performance was really a Leading Actress role. Young Hailee Steinfeld from "True Grit" gave a performance of such rigidly unsentimental command and authority while also working her mouth around mountains of essentially archaic language so effortlessly that it felt to be her natural manner of speech. And she more than held her own with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon. Oscar has loved giving awards to children in the past, like Tatum O'Neal from "Paper Moon" (1973) and Anna Paquin from "The Piano" (1993). Oscar also loves the Coen Brothers, and also "True Grit" has turned into the biggest box office hit of their career so far. A win for Steinfeld is something I would love to see and it would be the icing on the cake, as it were. This is a risky prediction sure, but Oscar does like to have at least one big surprise so who knows?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
SHOULD WIN: Geoffrey Rush "The King's Speech"
WILL WIN: Christian Bale "The Fighter"
Bale is also on his way to an Oscar coronation this year as his performance as the drug addicted boxing washout has already garnered major awards throughout this season. As mesmerizing as he was, and as much as I love his work, he also felt to be a bit of a caricature than a character. It was perhaps a bit too flashy, too showy, too much of an obvious Oscar pick.

As much as I absolutely loved Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right," so much so that I believe it to be his finest performance to date, I don't think it quite holds a candle to Geoffrey Rush's work as speech therapist Lionel Logue. It was a Master Class in acting that never once called attention to itself or pandered for Oscar glory. His work was brilliantly symbiotic with Colin Firth's as the greatness of each man could not have been achieved without the other. That said, I think Christian Bale will glide onto the stage Sunday night and grab the statuette.

BEST ACTRESS
SHOULD WIN: Natalie Portman "Black Swan"
WILL WIN: Natalie Portman "Black Swan"
If "Black Swan" had not been released this year, I believe that this category would be Annette Bening's to lose as her performance in "The Kids Are All Right" was beautifully outstanding. But, "Black Swan" was released this year and Natalie Portman gave the performance of her life. She has never been this devastating and no other actress pulled off what she accomplished. As I said in my original review, just dispense with this section of the program and any other preamble and just give Portman the award.

BEST ACTOR
SHOULD WIN: Colin Firth "The King's Speech"
WILL WIN: Colin Firth "The King's Speech"
Remember how I just said that Geoffrey Rush's performance in "The King's Speech" was symbiotic with Firth's so that both men were able to shine at their brightest? That is why I am picking Firth to finally get his Oscar due with his heartbreaking but never cloying or sentimental performance that instantly found the recognizable humanity of a man drowning in his own lack of self-confidence.

This is a difficult choice as this particular category is packed tightly with one great performance after another, especially Jesse Eisenberg's enigmatic and searing work in "The Social Network" and James Franco's powerfully singular and naturalistic performance in "127 Hours." Since Franco is hosting the telecast, he certainly will not win. I think that this night will be Colin Firth's night and he more than deserves the illustrious honor.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
SHOULD WIN: Christopher Nolan "Inception"
WILL WIN: David Seidler "The King's Speech"
For whatever reason, Oscar seems to have some issue with Christopher Nolan and I cannot figure out what it may be as Nolan tends to be quite unassuming as far as public relations are concerned. He is a major player as a top Hollywood filmmaker but he has been shockingly and unfairly snubbed in regards to recognition for his work. So, while his screenplay for "Inception" is easily the most inventive, creative and decidedly original one of the bunch, I think the Academy will set its sights upon David Seidler's excellent work with "The King's Speech." Also, Seidler's personal backstory--where he was diagnosed with cancer and he wrote the original stage version feeling that he would die, only to be blessed with remission--is precisely the type of human quality element that Oscar loves.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
SHOULD WIN: Aaron Sorkin "The Social Network"
WILL WIN: Aaron Sorkin "The Social Network"
This is as much of a slam duck as Natalie Portman winning for Best Actress as there is just no question in my mind of which adapted screenplay is the shining star of an illustrious bunch. Sorkin's dialogue, character development and structure is unmatched and in many ways, unreachable and since I think Oscar night will belong to "The King's Speech," here will be a way for Oscar to honor one of 2010's most celebrated films.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
SHOULD WIN: "How To Train Your Dragon"
WILL WIN: "Toy Story 3"
Obvious, of course as Pixar is beginning to be the animated film version of Meryl Streep's nearly annual nomination at the Academy Awards. As Pixar has been deservedly nominated time and again for their almost always untouchable work, and as good as "Toy Story 3" is, I still feel, so very strongly, that "How To Train Your Dragon" is the better film. However, since Pixar has been nominated in this category and the Best Picture category, it will be crowned the "2010 King Of Animation" undoubtedly.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
SHOULD WIN: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross "The Social Network"
WILL WIN: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross "The Social Network"
Most film scores are admittedly unremarkable splashes of sonic wallpaper but for this category, the Academy got it right by celebrating a variety of film music compositions and composers who truly created innovative and memorable works that even stand out strongly on their own existing as pieces of music to dive into without the film it is connected to.

Legendary composer Hans Zimmer struck gold again with a challenging, disturbing score for "Inception" while A.R. Rathman, previously awarded for his work on "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) also succeeded grandly with his work on "127 Hours." But for my money, it was Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' first time at the cinematic scoring bat that will take home the gold as they created a soundscape of existential dread that perfectly underscored the diminishing humanity of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and our increased alienation as a society becoming more reliant upon the virtual world. Reznor and Ross...ahem...nailed it!

BEST DIRECTOR
SHOULD WIN: Darren Aronofsky
WILL WIN: David Fincher
I'll spare you the continuous rancor I feel whenever I am reminded that Christopher Nolan was not nominated for his tremendous direction of "Inception" while the film itself is nominated for Best Picture. So, grudgingly, I'll move ahead and deal with the reality of the nominations.

As this category is also one of the strongest and toughest yet, (I'm sorry) I would easily replace the presence of David O. Russell with Nolan as Russell's "The Fighter" was disappointingly the most pedestrian film this usually risky and idiosyncratic filmmaker has directed to date while Nolan easily pushed the medium that much forwards. Yet, the one filmmaker who pushed the medium to its highest peak for me was Darren Aronofsky whose "Black Swan" was an experience like no other in 2010 and for me, he should easily receive the highest honor. But, "Black Swan," despite its box office success, is a defiantly polarizing film so Oscar voters certainly would not give him the grand prize. The Coen Brothers have already been given much love by the Academy so I do not think they'll receive the grand prize either.

So...that leaves David Fincher, director of such films as "Se7en" (1995), "Fight Club" (1999), "Panic Room" (2002) and "Zodiac" (2007) and this year's outstanding "The Social Network." I think this year will be his time to claim the big prize as he more than deserves it, for his career thus far as especially for his latest work, easily one of his finest films.

BEST PICTURE
SHOULD WIN: "Black Swan"
WILL WIN: "The King's Speech"
Out of the ten nominees for Best Picture, I have seen 9 (I just haven't had the opportunity to view "Winter's Bone" yet). It is an excellent list overall, although if I could wave my cinematic magic wand, I would remove "The Fighter" and "Toy Story 3" and replace them with either Ben Affleck's "The Town," or Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go." And so it goes...

If you have not nodded off during any point of these predictions and have been following everything so far, it should be obvious that I am wishing for "Black Swan" to claim the title of Best Picture as for me, this film was cinema to behold. But...again it is a polarizing film, extremely dark, difficult and perhaps too intense for some viewers to truly enjoy so I am certain it doesn't hold a chance and furthermore, honoring Natalie Portman would be recognition enough.

The one nominated film that seems to measure up to the pageantry, the pomp, the circumstance, and the regality of the Oscars...the one that seems like the most obvious choice to receive the highest honor is unquestionably Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech." It is a film of honest, unsentimental emotion as well as a beautiful and compassionate testament to what can be accomplished when people selflessly band together for a common goal, earning respect, trust, self-confidence and dignity in the process.

Hmmm...after writing those words, perhaps this exercise was not so pointless after all.

See you Sunday night!!

2010 IN REVIEW PART FOUR: THE TOP TEN FILMS OF THE YEAR

We have finally reached the top.

2010 was not a great movie year but the greatness it contained was truly breathtaking. As I think about my favorite films from the year, these are the selections that truly went the extra mile and then some. They each tested the limits of their respective genres and at times, the nature of filmmaking itself, making for stories and storytelling that was always inventive, creative, fresh, emotional, compelling, and entertaining to the highest degree.

So, without further adieu, here are my favorites of the year and as with the other three sections of this series, full reviews of ALL of the listed films are housed on this site.

THE TOP TEN FILMS OF 2010

10. "HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON"
Co-Written and Directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
While Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” is receiving all of the love and attention, for my money, this was the best animated film of the year, so wondrous that I really believe that it could make the wizards at Pixar collectively look over their shoulders. While the story and adventures of teenaged Viking Hiccup and his trusty dragon Toothless was overly familiar, the undeniable magic arrived through the way the story was told and how it was anchored through the stunningly beautiful friendship and bond created between a boy and his dragon. Even animated, this relationship contained was some of the finest human/animal interaction I have seen since Carroll Ballard’s “The Black Stallion” (1979). Additionally, the film delivered on flying and action sequences that were more extraordinary than anything in James Cameron’s “Avatar” (2009), the terrific individualized details for all of the various dragon breeds, strong comedy and also, a tender Father/son plotline. “How To Train Your Dragon” was the first film I awarded four stars in 2010 and it was essential this film would have a place on this list.
Available on DVD

9. "EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP" Directed by Banksy
Despite my love for “Waiting For ‘Superman’,” this examination of the art world and the exploration of the inherent truth and lies behind art and the artists who create was the finest documentary I saw in 2010. This feat was extremely aided by the towering presence of two of the most compulsively watchable and fascinating characters I’ve seen in the movies all year, the unseen and celebrated street artist (as well as this film’s director) Banksy and the compulsive videographer turned street artist named Thierry Guetta. Questions have risen to the authenticity of this film even being a documentary at all, or if it is some sort of elaborate hoax masquerading as a piece of art. I don’t care about that a whit as the resulting film was exhilarating, exuberant, highly entertaining and yes, I do believe that, in and of itself, it is a work of art.
Available on DVD

8. “127 HOURS” Directed by Danny Boyle
Based upon the true story of Aron Ralston, who was famously trapped within a mountain ravine with his right arm pinned between two rocks for five days, and severed the aforementioned arm in order to survive was an excellent new entry from Boyle, who follows up his Oscar winning “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) with an equally brilliant effort. The harrowing tale of survival featured propulsive, kaleidoscopic filmmaking that pushes the medium of film defiantly forwards while always honoring the art of serving the storytelling, a quality so necessary for a story this primal. Yes, the arm decapitation sequence is appropriately grisly but I found this film to be really about the unforgiving aspect of nature and the interconnectivity between all living things as realized by a man when he is most alone. James Franco richly deserved his Oscar nomination with his natural and seemingly effortless performance, which holds you in its grip so confidently, and without any pandering histrionics.
Now Playing in Theaters

7. "EASY A" Directed by Will Gluck
This film was one of the year’s biggest surprises for me as what could have been a run of the mill teen comedy was actually a brilliantly written, perfectly executed social comedy. Emma Stone gave a star making performance as high school student Olive Penderghast, whose life unravels when her little white lie concerning a mythical episode of sexual intercourse explodes into a communal obsession with her emerging sexuality. Gluck’s crisp, clean and snappy direction completely served Bert V. Royal’s beautifully loquacious and literate screenplay. “Easy A” was a film that aimed for and completely reached the gold standard of teen films from the 1980s through its skill, class, humor, intelligence and having one of the strongest teen heroines I’ve seen in the movies for a long, long time. Furthermore and so wonderfully, “Easy A” was the very best teen film I have seen in over 20 years. I imagine that John Hughes would be so proud.
Available on DVD

6. “THE KING’S SPEECH” Directed by Tom Hooper
I am a filmgoer who tends to have a strong aversion to historical British dramas about royalty. The politics and pageantry are so typically pitched to such a ponderous degree that films of this nature tend to feel so stuffy, holding me at arm’s length as a result. But, this film did no such thing as Hooper stripped away all of the pomp and circumstance, making “The King’s Speech” instantaneously and recognizably human and relatable. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are masterful equals as the vocally afflicted King George VI and his unorthodox speech therapist Lionel Logue. The tentative and at times contentious relationship between these two men anchored and drove a film that served a political story while also keeping the human traits of failure, self-confidence, resolve, dignity, leadership, language and communication at the forefront. With a level of excellence displayed from the very first frame, “The King’s Speech” was one of the year’s most beautiful films.
Now Playing in Theaters

5. “SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD” Co-Written and Directed by Edgar Wright
Every once in a while a film comes along and arrives into our movie theaters in the most unassuming fashion. Yet, from the first frame, the film explodes into an experience unlike anything else playing anywhere. Edgar Wright’s “Scott Pilgrim VS. The World” was one of those films, an entry into a rare class of films (like Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 feast “Moulin Rouge!”) that possesses so much confidence within itself that you will either go for the experience or you won’t. There is absolutely no middle ground whatsoever.

Based upon the graphic novel series created by Bryan Lee O’Malley, the film tells the story of the titular Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a 22 year old video game obsessed and romantically wounded native of Toronto who falls in love with his dream girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), only to discover that in order to win her heart, he must defeat her seven evil exes who are all out to kill him. The film is a veritable audio/visual sonic boom as it is ENDLESSLY inventive from the sight of the studio logo all the way through to the final ending credit. It is a cinematic crime to me that this film was not nominated in the Oscar category for Best Visual Effects as “Scott Pilgrim VS. The World” boasted some of the very best and most creative CGI and special effects I have seen in years.

And still, the film is not sacrificing its soul in the pursuit of style over substance. Wright ingeniously illustrates how Pilgrim and his twentysomething community of friends and enemies are all in the state of romantic woe, and utilize their media drenched minds and ironic poses as deeply heartfelt shields against the growing pains of adult responsibilities in adult relationships. This film is a wild ride with a huge heart and I am anxious to plunk in another quarter.
Available on DVD

4. “THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” Co-Written and Directed by Lisa Cholodenko
The year’s very best social/family comedy arrived in the summer months of 2010 and throughout the year, it has remained so high in my thoughts as I recall the excellence of the writing, the acting, the tone, the presentation, the empathy and the heart and compassion. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore luminously star as Nic and Jules, a longtime upper middle class married couple and parents to two teenaged children (Mia Wasiowska and Josh Hutcherson), whose lives are thrown into an upheaval with the arrival of the swaggering shaggy dog sperm donor Paul (Mark Ruffalo).

Bening completely earned her Oscar nomination with a deeply layered performance as the prickly and passionate Nic. She is a workaholic doctor who is resentful of Jules’ wayward life and Paul’s entrance as a potential parental influence while she also fiercely loves and protects her family, is sadly preparing herself for her daughter’s departure for college and also nurses a nasty addiction to alcohol. Bening handles all of these qualities and levels with a naturalistic ease that never makes the character a histrionic cliché but as real as any woman I know and see every day. Ruffalo also gave, quite possibly, the best performance of his career as Paul, a man who has run more than his fair share of emotional red lights and who is finally confronted with the consequences of his breezy decisions. It was another of this year’s cinematic crimes that Moore was not nominated for her performance as it was equally complex and completely complimentary to Bening’s performance, making the couple of Nic and Jules feel so undeniably lived it and real. You could easily sense the shared romantic history between these two women and within that aspect, “The Kids Are All Right” functioned as one of the year’s two best love stories.

And even beyond that, by NOT announcing itself as a soapbox movie, it made a grand political statement in favor of families where the parents just happen to be of the same gender. Often hilarious, knowingly perceptive, sexually frisky and profoundly humane, “The Kids Are All Right” was more than just all right, it was cinematic excellence.
Available on DVD

3. "THE SOCIAL NETWORK" Directed by David Fincher
Now, we’re getting into the nitty gritty as we are now at one of 2010’s highest achievements and one of David Fincher’s very best films. The story of the creation of Facebook and the rise of its creator, Harvard school student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) utilized the eternal themes of friendship, belonging, success, failure, betrayal, power and corruption and fused them into an remarkably brilliant film that speaks to the nature of our lives and humanity at this point in the 21st century. Aaron Sorkin’s exemplary screenplay allowed Fincher’s wonderful actors (including Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Roomey Mara and Justin Timberlake) the chance to dive into verbal gymnastics with dialogue pitched at such a velocity that it matched the speed of our accelerated times. Eisenberg is particularly terrific as he created a searing, seething performance as the nearly emotionally impenetrable Zuckerberg, whose true motivations and needs are continuously revealed, questioned, seen and unseen through a series of inter-connected flashbacks and two court depositions. He always keeps you guessing as to the validity of his motivations, and he remains compellingly enigmatic even when he is at his most repellent. Special mention must be given to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross whose brooding electronic film score unexpectedly yet perfectly provides the film with a clear underpinning of existential dread as Zuckerberg’s diminishing humanity mirrors Fincher’s warning of the audience’s increasing isolation as we all grow more reliant upon the virtual world.
Available on DVD

2. "INCEPTION" Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
Out of all of the major filmmakers who released movies in 2010, I was thrilled to see that Christopher Nolan not only didn't stumble creatively, he hit a grand slam with his masterful, extraordinary, astoundingly inventive dream world epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a tormented corporate dream thief involved in the most profound caper of his life. Nolan reportedly worked on his original screenplay over a ten year period and it shows as it is air-tight while also utilizing a structure that plays with time and various descending levels of dream states designed to further disorient the characters and viewers. And somehow, someway, Nolan keeps all of it firmly in his directorial grasp as all of his actors (including Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Tom Hardy) while also leaving you with an interpretive conclusion that is appropriately elusive.

Now, there has been some backlash against this movie as perhaps it is not as original as people are claiming it to be. That it cribs too much already familiar material from James Bond to “Total Recall” (1990) to “The Matrix” (1999), for instance. Yes, I can see that point but Nolan has been more than open about his influences and has stated that certain sequences were indeed suggested by past movies and I have no problem with that.

“Inception” is a film that not only fits snugly with his oeuvre but it also works as an allegory to the dream weaving that exists in the movie making process itself. Our dreams are all created from the iconography of our individual lives where familiar elements, events, places and people are shaped and re-shaped into our unique inner-visions. With “Inception,” Nolan is utilizing the familiar iconography of his life in film, from his own work to the films he has loved himself, to represent and create his uniquely personal inner vision, which he has so brilliantly shared with us. For me, everything was so right about this movie--from the cinematography to the special effects to Hans Zimmer's innovative film score which featured the great guitarist Johnny Marr--and ever since I saw it opening weekend this past July, it remained as my favorite film of 2010. That is, until I saw…
Available on DVD

1. "BLACK SWAN" Directed by Darren Aronofsky
There was no other film I saw in 2010 that reached as far as this one, especially as it plunged so deeply into the fractured mind of an aging ballet dancer who is feverishly in pursuit of absolute perfection. Natalie Portman gave the performance of her life as Nina Sayers, the aforementioned ballet dancer who is struggling to attain the title dual role in her company’s production of “Swan Lake.” In addition to weathering the jealous wrath of her fellow dancers, the demands of her brutal choreographer (Vincent Cassell), fierce competition from a more confidant rival (a great Mila Kunis), and the overly smothering presence of her Mother (Barbara Hershey), Nina has to face down her relentless demons and fracturing psyche in order to tap into her dark side to fully embody the role of the Black Swan.

Like some of the other films on this list, Aronofsky created a work that stood so tall with such supreme confidence, that every audience member’s reaction to it was equally extreme. Again, there was no middle ground with this film. It’s labyrinthine structure utilizes motifs of mirrors, the colors of black and white and juxtaposes elements we know about the real actors plus the characters they are playing plus the characters within the story of “Swan Lake” as they all bounce back and forth from each other, weaving an endless rabbit hole from which poor Nina is unable to crawl out from. We see her world just as she sees it, unexpected hallucinations and all, and the effect is exhilarating and terrifying.

”Black Swan” is no quaint ballet picture or “Fatal Attraction”/”Single White Female” styled motion picture. It is the definition of an experience as it proudly stands up as a boldly artistic, operatic nightmare. Years from now as I make my “Time Capsule” series for the decade of 2010-2019, Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” will definitely be represented as one of the very best films of this period!!!
Now Playing in Theaters

And there you have it!! I really hope that you have enjoyed this four part series and I am looking so forward to seeing and reviewing the new movies of 2011 for you, dear readers.

2010 IN REVIEW PART THREE: THE DISAPPOINTMENTS AND THE DISHONORABLE

2010 was a year, where more often than not, the mightiest filmmakers creatively tripped, stumbled or fell smack down the cinematic flight of stairs. Of course, every film can't be a masterpiece but that said, it was definitely a stunning and completely unexpected sight to witness so many of our finest cinematic artists fall so creatively short indeed.

As always, just take my final kick in the seat of the pants to these film as mere opinions, as this segment is not designed to insult anyone's particular tastes. These are all films that, for varying reasons, did not work for me at all.

Just as with the first two sections of this four part series, full reviews of all of the following films are housed on this site.

THE DISAPPOINTMENTS

“GREENBERG” Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach
A critical favorite during 2010 that was just lost on me completely. Ben Stiller gave an outstanding performance as Roger Greenberg, a misanthropic 41-year-old house sitting for his vacationing brother’s family in Los Angeles who becomes involved with the family’s assistant, played by Greta Gerwig. It is a film of ennui, middle aged melancholy and tentative connection between two lost souls that is completely undone by its lack of internal storytelling momentum, dry to a fault direction and Gerwig’s sadly and profoundly underwritten character combined with her own nearly narcoleptic performance. I really did not like this film, which was so surprising as the subject matter is right up my alley and the filmmaker is one I have long admired.

“THE LAST AIRBENDER” Written, Produced and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
”THE NIGHT CHRONICLES: DEVIL” Directed by John Erick Dowdle
It was a hard, hard year for M. Night Shyamalan as he presented two ambitious but very underwhelming features that did nothing to return him to his past cinematic glories. With “The Last Airbender,” I will give him credit for stepping far outside of his comfort zone with his live action adaptation of an epic animated series but it ultimately failed due to stagnant storytelling and shockingly atrocious acting. As for “Devil,” I also applaud him for desiring to create a new anthology series by which he would farm out his original story ideas to up and coming writers and filmmakers. But, that film fell short as the actual screen, not written by Shyamalan was painfully obvious robbing it of any real suspense or tension. And frankly, the film’s trailer made for a better movie than the actual movie. So, for 2010, M. Night Shyamalan released two major disappointments, the very kind that will further make it difficult for him to re-earn the good graces and former glory from audiences and critics.

“SHUTTER ISLAND” Directed by Martin Scorsese
Cinematic master Scorsese delivered a top tier production, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, with his requisite filmmaking excellence that is nearly untouchable. Unfortunately, it was all in service to a story, and an ending in particular, that was supremely unconvincing. I have seen this film twice and each time the experience was akin to viewing a magic show given by the world’s best magician, and yet, you could still see through all of the tricks, smoke and mirrors.

“WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS” Directed by Oliver Stone
This film was actually one of the sequels I was most anxious to see in 2010 as the subject matter of our nation’s financial crisis would provide one of my favorite filmmakers an excellent platform to again examine our country while also updating his 1987 classic. Unfortunately, and despite the noble effort and a terrific performance from Michael Douglas, it was quite the sleepy affair made all the more ponderous through its somewhat manufactured presentation as a “zeitgeist” movie rather than operating and a pitch like the original film’s organic stature. It was just too somnambulant a film when it should have contained a more elegant rage.

THE DISHONORABLE (the ones I REALLY HATED)

“ALICE IN WONDERLAND” Directed by Tim Burton
A bloated, emotionless CGI wasteland that had no sense of wonder, terror, imaginative spirit or even a trace of Director Tim Burton’s trademark enormous creativity. It was a heartless wasted opportunity of a movie that was actually so much of a “paycheck movie” that it seemed as if Burton and the faceless suits as Disney personally pilfered my wallet. It was miserable and easily one of Burton’s very worst films.

“THE BOOK OF ELI” Directed by Albert and Allen Hughes
Out of most of the films I saw within the past year, this religiously themed western/post-apocalyptic exercise was one of the worst. Yes, it is stylish. Yes, Denzel Washington remains incapable of giving a performance not worth watching. But, what completely sunk this movie was its preposterous twist ending. In addition to the conclusion being sloppily revealed, it suggested a weight, reverence and significance it had not earned during any point in the film up to that point. I’m sorry but you cannot have a film with this type of bargain basement dialogue and this type of cardboard cut-out characters and in the final two minutes, decide that you are serious. It was a film that was as disingenuous as it was stupid.

“COP OUT” Directed by Kevin Smith
From one of the most unique and original voices currently working in cinema today came a film so shockingly lifeless and humorless. Despite an opening sequence that still makes me laugh and laugh hard, and Tracy Morgan’s obvious enthusiasm and commitment, everything in this movie is negligible—most notably Bruce Willis’ visible contempt for the entire proceedings. While Director Adam McKay's “The Other Guys” (2010) showed that there can still be vibrant life within the buddy cop action comedy genre, Smith’s “Cop Out” was a giant sized effort showing why that genre should be retired for good. I am pulling for Smith to regain his footing creatively with his final two films before his announced retirement from directing. I guess if I made “Cop Out,” I’d want to retire too.

“DATE NIGHT” Directed by Shawn Levy
What a wasted opportunity this film was as it painfully squandered the immense talents of Steve Carell and Tina Fey in a bone-headed and lead-footed story about mistaken identity and the supposed “hilarity” that ensues when harried, bored married couple steal another couple’s table at a ritzy restaurant only to embark upon a night long adventure. Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest and why the filmmakers decided upon a film so ridiculously convoluted and bland over the riskier and more original idea of just placing these two on a date night is beyond me.

“DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS” Directed by Jay Roach
Good GOD, was this a terrible movie!!! Steve Carell truly needs to find a new agent after starring in this criminally unfunny remake of a French film where rising executive (Paul Rudd) needs to bring a doofus (Carell) to an exclusive party solely for public ridicule to ensure a much coveted promotion. It was a turgidly paced screwball comedy filled with the types of characters that ONLY exist in the movies…albeit, and usually, terrible movies like this one. Worst of all, the film had the audacity to include a hackneyed and completely false third act lesson of sappy sentiment scolding the rich fat cats, as well as the audience, for laughing at the very characters that are designed and meant for us to laugh at in the first place. This was cinematic garbage and believe me when I say that out of this nearly two hour train wreck, I only laughed once.

“EAT PRAY LOVE” Co-Written and Directed by Ryan Murphy
Out of all of the movie reviews I have written that I know people have actually read, this one probably received the most passionate response from you-from supporters as well as detractors. With all due respect given to the people who do indeed love this film with their being, I stand by my review when I say how much I hated this experience. With a modicum of doubt placed upon the source material, since I have not read it, I strongly feel that ”Glee” creator Ryan Murphy and star Julia Roberts were just the wrong people to represent Elizabeth Gilbert’s inner journey to spiritual transcendence. As is stands for me, “Eat Pray Love” ended up being nothing more than an interminable two and a half hour pity party for a privileged white woman on a year long vacation with spiritual transcendence nowhere to be seen or felt in any conceivable fashion.

“THE KARATE KID” Directed by Harald Zwart
Now, granted, this film is not unwatchable by any means. It’s OK and possibly it is a little bit better than it has any right to be. The reason I have placed the re-make of “The Karate Kid” on this list is that there is truly no reason for this film to exist at all as it is veritably unchanged from the classic original except for location and the racial make ups of the cast. It is a movie that completely illustrated Hollywood’s amazing lack of originality. Honestly, did the filmmakers think that they could take the Oscar nominated original film and make it better?!

“RED” Directed by Robert Schwentke
Here was another film that was defended quite a bit by some of you and wile I do appreciate the discussion and enthusiasm on your part, I have to respectfully disagree. The story of a collective of retired CIA veterans all called back into active duty was a wasted opportunity fueled by movie star egos at play at our expense. This movie was the epitome of lazy, uninspired writing, direction and acting all the way around in a film that should have been roaring, frisky, exciting entertainment. Some of you explained to me that actors really do not need to turn themselves inside and out for every single movie that they make. That they should just be allowed to have some fun once in awhile. I completely agree with you especially as a film like “Ocean’s Eleven” for instance, is a perfect example of actors having a great time in a light footed film that is also prime, excellent entertainment. But for me, when their fun is at my expense, especially in a movie they obviously and absolutely have no confidence in, it is inexcusable. Bruce Willis, again is the worst culprit. Look dear readers, if he, or any actor of their caliber is able to command 20 million dollars a movie and they feel like “slacking off” a bit, then…DON’T MAKE A MOVIE!

...and now, the WORST film I saw in 2010...

“KICK-ASS” Co-Written and Directed by Matthew Vaughn
I know this film was a big box office hit. I know that the inevitable sequel is in the works. I know that many of you really liked or even loved this movie and that’s just wonderful for you. I really mean that. But for me, there was no other film I hated more than this one during the past year.

It would have already earned this slot due to its complete failure as a comic book film, a teen comedy an even as a dark satire, as it had no idea of what it was satirizing in the first place. “Kick-Ass” was an insufferable, self-congratulatory, pseudo-“edgy” exercise in desensitized cool as it was all filtered through a horrible presentation that had no sense of tone. Yet, what really sent it over the cliff into the cinematic abyss was the completely distasteful depiction of the pre-pubescent psychopath known as Hit Girl (played by Chloe Grace Moretz).

Once again, a few of you valiantly defended this character to me by expounding upon the idea of “Kick-Ass” presenting a world where the violence is gritty and real and that this world is no place for children and blah, blah, blah. All I know is that by using this 11-year-old girl to utter the film’s harshest profanities and having her commit the most brutal acts of violence in the entire film, this character, that began as a sick gimmick, quickly turned to exploitation. The climax, involving a battle between Hit Girl and the film’s main villain was so brutal, ugly, repugnant and downright irresponsible. I’m sorry, dear readers, but even if it works as an illustration in a comic book that doesn’t mean the same thing will work with real life flesh and blood human beings. The sight of an adult man beating the hell out of an 11-year-old girl and then shoving a gun in her face, ready to blast her brains out, was sickening and inexcusable.

This was, without question, the very worst film I saw in 2010 and you know, I just have to go one further. Nearly ten years from now when I create my next “Time Capsule” series marking the very best and worst from the decade of 2010-2019, this film will easily be there.

Aaaahhhhhh! I feel soooo much better now.

Stay tuned for Part Four, my TOP TEN FAVORITE FILMS OF 2010!!!!

SAVAGE CINEMA'S BURIED TREASURE: "SLEEP WITH ME" (1994)

"SLEEP WITH ME" (1994)
Written by Duane Dell’Amico & Roger Hedden & Neal Jimenez & Joe Keenan & Rory Kelly & Michael Steinberg
Directed by Rory Kelly

As much as I would consider myself to possess a certain high level of romanticism, I am actually not that much of a fan of movie love stories.

I would suppose that for my personal sensibilities, movie love stories often tend to feel trite, hackneyed, commonplace, stale and at their worst, just so pedestrian, emotionally false and too corny to be swept away by. With movie after movie that features a love story, I tend to not feel terribly attached to the goings on between the two souls circling each other and destined to join together in the final reel. This is mostly because I am very aware of movie conventions and know firmly that the union must occur just because the script says so. More intensely, I rarely feel that the emotions depicted upon the screen properly emulate emotions in the real world, making for film romances that just feel too easy when I would prefer something a bit tougher, messier and presented with more urgency, euphoria or sorrow or something that makes the romance a bit more hard fought.

Of course there have been many films and filmmakers that have spoken to me very deeply and have continued to resonate over the years. For example and certainly my heroes John Hughes and Cameron Crowe, time and again, delivered a cinematic romanticism that straddled the fence between fantasy and unshakeable emotional truth with unapologetic sympathy, elegance, bravado and a heart as open and as wide as the sky.

Kevin Smith’s controversial “Chasing Amy” (1997), one of his very best films, was a love story that left me exhausted in its wake and in the most positive and satisfying way. The emotional messiness in the love triangle relationship between comic book writer/artist Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), his writing/illustrating partner Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), the lesbian comic book writer/illustrator he falls in love with was an undeniably fresh experience that burst through all of the clichés of the romance genre. It was completely uncompromising and felt so brutally honest in its depiction of the difficult levels of friendship, love and human sexuality while also being extremely funny with its brilliantly written and gleefully graphic dialogue.

Sometimes, the epic sweep of a film can send messages of romance through me like a tidal wave and in places so unexpected as Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” (2004) and Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) are recent examples. And in my Time Capsule series from last year, I listed Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind” (2004) as the past decade’s best love story as it delved so beautifully into the nature of how and why we all fall in love and how our perceptions and memories are often unreliable. It was the film that asked the question of whether the person we love is exactly as they exist or who we perceive them to be. Not the sort of depth you usually tend to witness, especially if it is a film starring someone like Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston or Kate Hudson.

For this special Valentine’s Day edition of my ”Buried Treasure” series, I am happy to point you to a small independent film from Director Rory Kelly entitled “Sleep With Me,” the story of an unusual love triangle starring Eric Stoltz, Craig Sheffer and Meg Tilly. While somewhat unassuming and not necessarily designed for mass appeal, the film is wry, quite talkative and deeply perceptive. And within its brisk 86 minute running time, “Sleep With Me” presents engaging characters, filled with dry and sardonic quips masking tender emotional wounds making a film that ultimately explores the nature of young relationships and marriage in particular. With Kelly’s quiet, unforced direction steering the production, what we have is a sharp romantic comedy that works well as an antidote to the glut of brainless big budget fluff being released week to week in our multiplexes.

Reuniting after their work together in John Hughes and Howard Deutch’s lovely and underrated “Some Kind Of Wonderful” (1987), Stoltz and Sheffer star as friends and former college roommates, Joseph, a landscaper and Frank, wayward, lonely and unemployed. The third figure in this love triangle is Sarah (Meg Tilly), a schoolteacher who happens to be Joseph’s longtime on again/off again girlfriend and at the start of the film has accepted Joseph’s marriage proposal during a road trip. The catch is that Frank has been nursing a long running and deeply felt love for Sarah while Sarah cannot deny an attraction to Frank.

The film charts the course of this love triangle almost strictly through a series of social events between the threesome and their circle of friends (the aforementioned road trip, two card games, an afternoon wedding rehearsal party, a summertime barbecue, an Sunday afternoon get-together and a climactic house party). Secrets are confessed. Boundaries are crossed. Relationships are tested. And all the while, Joseph, Frank and Sarah begin to take their respective baby steps into the world of adult relationships as they each learn the responsibilities inherent to those relationships.

The most unique facet of "Sleep With Me" is that the film carries no less than six screenwriters. While the style of the film is not so complicated where it needed six brains to piece it all together, what this film accomplishes, I think is pretty ingenious as each writer handles one particular social events in the film. This technique is actually carried off so effortlessly and seamlessly that it never once calls attention to itself in a negative, ponderous or self-congratulatory way. Kelly, his writers and cast have truly mined the nature of this triangle in a realistic fashion as “Sleep With Me,” while exhibiting some slapstick moments, never dissolves into cartoonish antics and behavior that can only exist in the movies due to some prefabricated flash.

In addition to the terrific trio of leading performances (of which I will return to shortly), “Sleep With Me” also features terrific performances from the entire supporting cast including Todd Field, Dean Cameron as a wheelchair bound friend who seriously enjoys his poker games and Joey Lauren Adams and Parker Posey, as two friends who nearly derail that aforementioned card game. And if this film is famous for anything at all, it is for a section of the house party sequence starring none other than Quentin Tarantino who hilariously espouses his views on how “Top Gun” (1986) is actually the greatest homoerotic masterpiece of its time! He and the observations of that film are so brilliant you will not see it in the same way ever again!

The usually sensitive and mild mannered Eric Stoltz is a surprise in this film as he displays an unusual amount of prickliness and reaches unprecedented levels of anger and recrimination. His character of Joseph is hot tempered, even during those card games (he cannot stand innocuous “table talk”) and usually possesses a certain cavalier wit that comes off as coldly unsympathetic. By the time Frank’s love for Sarah is revealed during a alcohol fueled house party, Stoltz always finds convincing levels of jealousy, betrayal, suspicion, and romantic paranoia that is justified as well as being understandably oft-putting to Sarah. In some ways, Joseph is hard to love as in addition to his temper and possessiveness, he seems to lack the tenderness that Sarah enjoys in Frank. Joseph is the kind of man who would get blindingly drunk at his own wedding rehearsal party, rendering him incapacitated. he is also the type of man who would publicly call out his wife for her transgressions. But, again, Stoltz makes him understandable and compelling.

Craig Sheffer’s Frank and his level of obsessiveness would be downright creepy if Sheffer was not able to discover the correct romantic tone to play. Frank is indeed a heart-on-sleeve romantic who is ruled by his emotions and just cannot help himself. Rational thought is simply lost on this man as he foolishly pursues the married Sarah. But, in some ways, you almost cannot blame him as Sarah does send him a series of mixed messages that begins with a romantic confession from her on the eve of her wedding, continues with a shared kiss and culminates in a surprising erotic act. Sarah’s confusion and attraction to Frank, with his more sensitive qualities and little boy lost demeanor, fuels Frank while also confusing and devastating him. He is a man, while not faultless in his actions and how they affect a marriage, but he is not entirely to blame either. He is the man who knows in the deepest parts o his heart that the chemistry between himself and Sarah is real and that knowledge is what causes his undoing within the social structure of their friends.

As Sarah, Meg Tilly is no faceless female or bland object of desire. You can easily see why both men are in love with her as she does carry a quiet sultriness, an alluring intelligence and an inner resolve where we can see and understand what she sees in both men, why she would marry Joseph and why she would find herself bewitched by Frank’s adoration. Her attraction to Frank is obviously due to the fact that she enjoys his attentiveness, is enchanted by his romanticism and how he hangs upon her every word, especially in ways Joseph does not seem to. In fact, Sarah’s confusion and struggle seems to speak for the collective struggle of all of the film’s characters in regard to adult relationships. And this is where this seemingly small film shows its larger ambitions.

During a section in the film’s midpoint, the action drifts away from the members of the love triangle and extends to their friends, which includes aspiring screenwriter Duane (Todd Field) and his acerbic wife Deborah (Susan Traylor), British married couple Nigel and Amy (Thomas Gibson and Amaryllis Borrego), the tender hearted Rory (Tegan West) and the acerbic Leo (Dean Cameron). With this group, “Sleep With Me” extends itself from romantic comedy by richly capturing the angst, longing, wistfulness and restlessness of the 20s in ways that the odious “Reality Bites” (1994) could not even hope to depict realistically. For a film this nuanced and as much as it is a film about falling in love, “Sleep With Me” works best as film about staying in love, especially when all of the protagonists are just beginning to figure out their respective stations in the world as well as with each other. As Duane and Joseph share a cigarette after the disastrous house party where Frank has openly expressed his love for Sarah, Duane expresses, after Deborah has paged him from the house interior, “Sometimes I get sick of hearing the sound of my own name.” With that one line, we are witness to the growing pains inside young marriages as the realization of the necessary work involved with maintaining relationships has taken hold, forcing them all into adulthood.

"Sleep With Me" is not a film that will change the world or alter your perceptions but it is a very good film that I have returned to over and again over the years (usually and surprisingly whenever I have been forced to stay at home from work due to illness--it is a great "comfort movie" for me). I am so happy to share this film with you and I encourage you to try and seek it out, not only for this Valentine's Day, but for anytime at all when you are seeking a good love story, especially one that is more realistic, unique, urgent and as heartfelt as this one.