Jeffrey:
Great to see your 2010 list. It makes me feel bad that I still have not seen 127 Hours. Your recent post on Another Year has made me interested in seeing that film as well. Also, glad to see another Aronofsky fan here. We had some discussion of him and his films back in December (Brandon I & II, Ben I & II). Black Swan was my most anticipated movie of 2010 (not just because The Tree of Life trailer was playing before it) and I was not disappointed at all. The Fountain still remains one of my all-time favorite movies.
Even though I did not care much for Shutter Island, I still recognize the fact that it is a good movie. So, I understand why it made everyone else's list but mine. Inception I still can not get behind though I will admit that I was entertained through out most of the movie. I compare it to Salt in that they are both entertaining but do not do anything for me past that.
Brandon actually had The Social Network in his Top Ten before removing it a few weeks later. As a lover of everything Aaron Sorkin does (I've seen every episode of The West Wing numerous times and it never gets old), I have been disappointed in him lately. <off-topic rant> First, it started when he wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post about Sarah Palin hunting caribou. His piece was funny and it is always easy and fun to hate on Palin. However, this op-ed had the annoyingly self-righteous air I sometimes hate in liberals (yeah, myself included) without the benefit of being right. He draws moral distinctions between Palin's hunting and his eating of meat that are specious and disingenuous. </off-topic rant>
When it comes to the film, I think that Mark Zuckerberg actually says it best:
But here's the thing: Aaron Sorkin does make stuff just to make stuff. I am almost positive that he would be a writer even if he had not hit on such success. I have been wondering a lot lately about the disconnect between artists and those who work art in a different way - engineers, hackers, programmers, etc. I am starting to lose focus here (admittedly, I'm not entirely sure I had a focus when I started typing this) but I think what I wish is that Aaron Sorkin took a different approach. He confesses to not understanding the Internet. Which is all too bad because I think he could have made a much better, more factually correct and touching film about Facebook and what it means for our future had he been a little bit more in touch with these new forms of art and not so quick to put Zuckerberg and Facebook in a neat Hollywood category.
I agree that Fincher does an excellent job and I think that the score is great and was definitely worthy of its Oscar. I promise to think more on exactly what I do not like in the film, maybe watch it again, and get back to you.
As for your other picks, I've got no problems. I'm really happy you liked Blue Valentine.
I will probably check out some other Bunuel films soon. Have you seen Little Murders? It's been years since I have watched it but watching Discreet Charm really made me want to see it again. Talk about absurdity...
Joanna Newsom is great. I think my favorite 2010 album has to go to The Black Keys. I've been really digging them lately.
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Other (though aimed at John):
The discussion about Funny Games between John and Brandon was really interesting. See, where I would be without Film Club? I'd have watched Funny Games and never really thought much about it. Instead, I have an entirely new perspective on the film. Still not sure I'd call myself a fan. However, this has been all very instructive. Film Club is definitely responsible for not only introducing me to new films but also making me think more critically about them.
I have spent today reading my Believer film issue. The magazine always has quality writing in it and it is a good week when it arrives. This issue contains a really interesting essay by a young actress named Rebecca Taylor that sent me on an hour-long Google hunt to find the D-list horror movies she made over the years (and not just so that I can see her left breast). She writes with a certain detached wisdom that I find absolutely irresistible. The movies she is in...not so irresistible. But she does have a short - Never seen by waking eyes - that I was unable to view but sounds promising.
Also in this issue is an essay by Mark Oppenheimer called "The Race That Is Not About Winning: We need a certain kind of teenage antihero to remind us that we are not alone." It discusses running in real life and the movies and what it is like to be an "outsider." Other highlights include an essay on Walt Disney and Hugh Hefner and some great interviews and conversations with actors, directors and writers.
A movie that I didn't think I'd be interested in but really want to see: Cracks (link to Ebert Presents review)
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