Unfortunately, My Favorites Mean Nothing
by Ricky Hargrove
The sixth year of the millennium has finally come to close with only minor damages to our human race. Some people have learned the hard way that Taco Bell is not good for you. Some politician of ours shot a friend in the face. And thousands more innocent people lay dead in the streets of Iraq because of some bully’s intervention. Luckily, however, Hollywood continues to provide us with ample means to not think about those unimportant things. I am 100% guilty of indulging in such means for escape, spending close to $250 on movie admissions this year. Nowadays that means I got to see about five movies, but I just cannot help myself when it comes to wasting my life away with a bucket of popcorn and a friend who I unwillingly drag along. Fortunately, I got to see some very well-made films that I comprised into a top 15 format.
Number fifteen is a movie that I really did not want to see, but was forced to endure by my Matrix withdrawal friend. A Scanner Darkly proved to be an intelligent, sometimes insane movie worth the entrance fee. I heard a lot of critics refer to it as a “headtrip”, and I could not agree more. A Scanner Darkly left me paranoid for days to come and more than a little weary of experimenting with drugs.
My fourteenth favorite movie, however, proved to be less trippy but an even better experience. Pedro Almodovar knows how to write and direct films, and Volver was no change in his expert ways. Penelope Cruz really showed us that she is better than movies like Sahara and Gothika, although not many people experienced her spectacular performance.
My next film, Thank You For Smoking, showcased another actor that seemed to be tired of playing mediocre roles. Aaron Eckhart really shone in this intelligent, funny satire that will make you laugh at jokes that do not pause for a morality check.
Movie number twelve is one of two horror movies that frightened me senseless without actually being a traditional horror movie. In An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore presents the threats of global warming without making it too difficult for us science-haters to understand, but still letting us in on the real dangers of what will happen in the near future. This documentary of one man talking to us for a good two hours will keep you in your seat longer than most movies with big budget action or sex scenes.
While An Inconvenient Truth left me scared to get in my car, The Pursuit of Happyness took my emotions in another direction with its triumphant, cheerful feel. The movie was cliché in almost every sense of the word, but I could not help liking it. Will Smith’s performance left me teary-eyed throughout, and it is really one of his best since Ali. The Pursuit of Happyness is a very cute movie, so if you are looking for a little cheering up, this is a good one to pick up.
Then again, if you really want to be cheered up, pick up my tenth movie: Borat. Unless you have been living under a rock, you have either seen the movie or have friends that have ruined every single funny part for you, so I won’t go into detail. Just know that it is a very key movie to see if you want to become more in tune with our developing pop culture.
The Illusionist is the first of my single digit entries with its perfectly crafted dialogue and character-driven plot. Unfortunately, the ending is not hard to figure out, although it is still pretty clever. Edward Norton proves again that he has a ridiculous amount of range in his acting, and Paul Giamatti is always fun to watch. The turn-of-the-century feel is almost haunting and really left me with a feeling of beauty and awe towards the movie.
My eighth movie is the second horror movie I mentioned above. While I never thought that another documentary could leave me feeling as terrified as An Inconvenient Truth, Jesus Camp did just that, showing us the insides of a camp designed to turn children to a religious fervent I did not know even existed. It does not matter what religion you identify with, you will have some kind of reaction to children squirming on the floor in some kind of religious trance induced by a woman calling them all to become soldiers in “God’s Army”. The movie is disturbing and will leave you horrified at what this generation will be capable of as adults.
My seventh favorite movie of the year comes from everyone’s favorite director Martin Scorsese. The Departed has really brought him back in the limelight as well as the many actors involved with the film. This film literally kept me on the edge of my seat and even had me at times throwing my hands up in the air in disbelief. Although it may not be on par with his other movies like Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas, The Departed really did do its job of keeping the viewer in suspense.
Another Oscar favorite takes the number six seat: Babel. With movies like Amores Perros and 21 Grams under his belt, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu really did not need to convince me that his new film was a must-see. Babel proved to be his third masterpiece and really solidified him as one of Mexico’s best directors. The emotions of the movie were so strong and tightly packed that it was sometimes overwhelming, but it truly knows how to hit you deeply.
The Science of Sleep got a lot of mediocre reviews due to high expectations Michael Gondry who was rebounding from his work of genius with Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Of course, that movie is hard to top, but I feel that The Science of Sleep is about as close as you are going to get. It was so imaginative and creative that I had a hard time believe that Michael Gondry was human. Gael Garcia Bernal really shines and I will even say that it is his best performance after The Motorcycle Diaries.
Movie number four is one that I have previously written about for this magazine, so instead of recapping it all over again, I will simply direct you to my article on the movie Half Nelson. All I will say is that it is a beautifully made movie, and Ryan Gosling has my vote for best performance of the year.
My third favorite movie is a little film that I am sure most people have not seen. It really did not have the emotional impact as some of the other films listed, but it somehow really stuck with me as a great and well-made movie. Starring Morgan Freeman and Paz Vega, 10 Items or Less shows its viewers how to take chances and really work for the things you want. The relationship between the two main stars is quite charming and made me want to go out and make some random friends. Although a lot of people may not agree with me saying that the only reason that it was bearable was because of Morgan Freeman and that the rest of the movie was not really worth anything, I, for some reason, enjoyed it more than any other movies previously mentioned.
Little Children takes the number two spot with what I thought was the best cast ensemble of the year. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson starred as two unhappily married young adults who begin a very satisfying love affair. While their storyline alone could have been enough to keep me entertained for two hours, it was a side story of a local pedophile that had me captivated throughout. Jackie E. Haley was insanely creepy as the pedophile and was in my opinion the best performance of the movie. After more than a decade of not appearing in any roles, Haley really made quite the comeback. The narration that accompanies the whole movie is sharp and clever in making fun of the tedious life of stay-at-home parents in the suburbs. This film has my support in its Oscar campaign.
We finally come to my favorite movie of the year. Let me first tell you that this movie is probably not the best made movie of the year, nor did it have the incredible emotional impact on its audiences as some other movies of this year, but I don’t care. I have been a James Bond fan since I was seven years old, watching Pierce Brosnan take on some evil Russians in 1995’s Goldeneye. Since then I have developed a taste for most of the older movies, especially those starring Sean Connery. In the recent years, however, the Brosnan films began to feel ridiculous with some pretty stupid plotlines and unrealistic gadgets, with the epitome being Die Another Day’s invisible car. While most diehard Bond fans screamed for a change, the money kept rolling in on these shallow films. For a while it seemed that Brosnan was to play the role for a fifth time, but out of nowhere, the producers fired him and hired Daniel Craig, who most people hated at first. Once the film came out, however, everyone began praising him as the best since Sean Connery. The film itself showed a more realistic, gritty James Bond without all the lunacy of the last few films. The love story is the best yet, and through all the drama, they were able to throw in enough action to satisfy the little boy in me. The movie is my favorite of the year, and whether or not you are a Bond fan, I recommend it. With Casino Royale, I finish my list of my favorite movies of the year.
While I am sure that there are other movies that would have made this list had I seen them, like Pan’s Labyrinth, Children of Men, Venus, or Little Miss Sunshine, these fifteen are worth at least a back cover glance at your local Blockbuster.
