i will hear you
on top of watching australia for the second time today, i have hunted down (and watched) 4 out of the 5 golden globes best picture nominees, yay. idk why i do it, really, because although i follow the globes/oscars, every year i'm disappointed by the picks. and the wins. /o\ it could be that i'm not smart enough to understand the deeper meaning behind movies like no country for old men (which i am still sore about wasting my time on), but it could also be that i like to actually enjoy my movies without falling asleep halfway through them?
but the thing about the nominees, right, is that there are usually only a couple of reactions you can give after the viewing.
a) wtf. (gangs of new york / burn after reading - so i'm clearly not a coen brothers fan...?)
b) why was this nominated? (sunshine / revolutionary road)
c) eh. (slumdog millionaire / mystic river)
d) this is my heart. here, stomp all over it. (seabiscuit / atonement / benjamin button)
e) fucking best movie of my life (lord of the rings / billy elliot / scent of a woman)
f) no, really. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (closer / no country for old men / gladiator)
so i don't know why i try watching them every year - not that i usually succeed. but still. maybe by the time the oscars roll around i'll have watched enough of them to make predictions. so far, out of this year's batch, i've really enjoyed frost/nixon, thought the world of the curious case of benjamin button, generally loathed revolutionary road (although, okay, kate and leo? still got it.) and thought that slumdog millionaire was a cross between a joke and an insult to the other nominees (but i guess bollywood is the next big thing).
the thing is, benjamin button aside, none of these movies would've made my movies to watch list for 2008. maybe i am just not an intellectual consumer. still, i am a fun one! and i watched over 100 movies in the last 9 months (unrepeated, which, crap, maybe 300 is a bit of stretch; i may have to shoot for half that?), and there were a bunch of gems that i loved:
1. shelter. i mostly don't even watch gay movies anymore, because they're always that disappointing, but this is just, ugh. so gorgeous. the acting, and the storyline, and the cinematography. it doesn't get better than this, folks. bubbleforest told me to watch it, and i'm so glad i did.
2. australia. 2008 was a year for love movies. like i said before, this movie is so much more than that. you guys, you NEED to see this in the cinema. the scenery is just so unbelievably breathtaking. not to mention the chemistry between hugh and nicole. (and hugh is ripped, okay? idk what he's been doing at the gym, but boy, is it working!)
3. keith. i've never actually dedicated a post to keith, i think (which, ha ha, wtf is wrong with me?!) totally one of my favourite movies of the year, and if you're a fan of a walk to remember, you'll really want to see this. if you're not, well, then you'll really want to see this. i loved the script, and jesse is kind of face-meltingly hot.
4. lars and the real girl. a little late to the party with this one, but i loved it so hard. just - you can't go wrong with ryan gosling. it's kind of an oddball movie, but it's sweet and adorable in its own way, and juno's supposed quirkiness has nothing on this. ♥
5. the painted veil. i was exceedingly late in viewing this movie, but it's so great, and so, so worth the watch. edward norton is genius as always, and it's such a bleak movie but so amazingly gripping at the same time, idek. remember to get out the tissues!
6. love and other disasters. okay, so i only watched this movie for matthew rhys, only unlike all the other crappy movies he's had a hand in, i thoroughly enjoyed this one. it's so much fun, and so funny, and the cast is stellar. brittany murphy is adorable, and matthew is never not going to be the most convincing gay man (at least on screen). the orlando bloom cameo didn't hurt, either!
7. alvin and the chipmunks. shut up. i grew up with this cartoon, and jesse voices theodore. plus everyone needs some good, clean family fun once in a while, and this is exactly that. the songs are really, really catchy, too - i mean, everything sounds better munk'd!
8. the curious case of benjamin button. i've already talked about it, but if that hasn't convinced you to give it a gander, then i'll just say it again. AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING. :D
9. p.s. i love you. i loved it the first time i watched it, and even on fifteenth hundredth viewing, this movie can make you cry. i've never been a fan of hilary swank, but this nearly changed my mind. sure, there are a couple of things (people) i could do without, but it's such an emotional ride you'll barely notice.
10. jack ketchum's the girl next door. so these next two movies aren't for everyone, but i was totally intrigued from the first moment i heard about them. they're both based on the story about the FJSDFJDSOFS (i can't even say it, it's painful and there's torture involved and stuff), and even though they were both different, they didn't disappoint.
11. an american crime. re: everything i said above, and top it off with ellen page finally convinced me she has acting chops.
12. across the universe. this movie really endeared itself to me. i've never really understood the beatle mania, not gonna lie, but i think i started to get it a little bit, after watching this. the leads were all brilliant, the music was brilliant, the cinematography and editing were a little artsy for my taste, but no less brilliant. so. all round brilliant. :D
13. the dark knight. i watched this movie for the same reason everyone else did: heath ledger. and he totally made the movie. if you haven't watched it yet, you really, really should. i'm banking on him winning the oscar for best supporting actor.
14. eagle eye. i loved this for shia. end of story. also, best cameos of my life and i really enjoyed the action. it's one of those movies you go in thinking, well this is going to suck, and then your mind is completely blown when it doesn't.
15. high school musical 3. ha! like i would leave this off my list. the best, feel-good movie of the year, and zac only gets prettier as the franchise grows older. i squeed about it here, A LOT, and i watched it five times in the cinema. dude, if you know me, you know that i never do that. never. but the way they went from tv to the big screen was stunning. gabrielle and troy are awesomely stunning together, and all the dance numbers were so great.
but the thing about the nominees, right, is that there are usually only a couple of reactions you can give after the viewing.
a) wtf. (gangs of new york / burn after reading - so i'm clearly not a coen brothers fan...?)
b) why was this nominated? (sunshine / revolutionary road)
c) eh. (slumdog millionaire / mystic river)
d) this is my heart. here, stomp all over it. (seabiscuit / atonement / benjamin button)
e) fucking best movie of my life (lord of the rings / billy elliot / scent of a woman)
f) no, really. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (closer / no country for old men / gladiator)
so i don't know why i try watching them every year - not that i usually succeed. but still. maybe by the time the oscars roll around i'll have watched enough of them to make predictions. so far, out of this year's batch, i've really enjoyed frost/nixon, thought the world of the curious case of benjamin button, generally loathed revolutionary road (although, okay, kate and leo? still got it.) and thought that slumdog millionaire was a cross between a joke and an insult to the other nominees (but i guess bollywood is the next big thing).
the thing is, benjamin button aside, none of these movies would've made my movies to watch list for 2008. maybe i am just not an intellectual consumer. still, i am a fun one! and i watched over 100 movies in the last 9 months (unrepeated, which, crap, maybe 300 is a bit of stretch; i may have to shoot for half that?), and there were a bunch of gems that i loved:
1. shelter. i mostly don't even watch gay movies anymore, because they're always that disappointing, but this is just, ugh. so gorgeous. the acting, and the storyline, and the cinematography. it doesn't get better than this, folks. bubbleforest told me to watch it, and i'm so glad i did.
2. australia. 2008 was a year for love movies. like i said before, this movie is so much more than that. you guys, you NEED to see this in the cinema. the scenery is just so unbelievably breathtaking. not to mention the chemistry between hugh and nicole. (and hugh is ripped, okay? idk what he's been doing at the gym, but boy, is it working!)
3. keith. i've never actually dedicated a post to keith, i think (which, ha ha, wtf is wrong with me?!) totally one of my favourite movies of the year, and if you're a fan of a walk to remember, you'll really want to see this. if you're not, well, then you'll really want to see this. i loved the script, and jesse is kind of face-meltingly hot.
4. lars and the real girl. a little late to the party with this one, but i loved it so hard. just - you can't go wrong with ryan gosling. it's kind of an oddball movie, but it's sweet and adorable in its own way, and juno's supposed quirkiness has nothing on this. ♥
5. the painted veil. i was exceedingly late in viewing this movie, but it's so great, and so, so worth the watch. edward norton is genius as always, and it's such a bleak movie but so amazingly gripping at the same time, idek. remember to get out the tissues!
6. love and other disasters. okay, so i only watched this movie for matthew rhys, only unlike all the other crappy movies he's had a hand in, i thoroughly enjoyed this one. it's so much fun, and so funny, and the cast is stellar. brittany murphy is adorable, and matthew is never not going to be the most convincing gay man (at least on screen). the orlando bloom cameo didn't hurt, either!
7. alvin and the chipmunks. shut up. i grew up with this cartoon, and jesse voices theodore. plus everyone needs some good, clean family fun once in a while, and this is exactly that. the songs are really, really catchy, too - i mean, everything sounds better munk'd!
8. the curious case of benjamin button. i've already talked about it, but if that hasn't convinced you to give it a gander, then i'll just say it again. AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING. :D
9. p.s. i love you. i loved it the first time i watched it, and even on fifteenth hundredth viewing, this movie can make you cry. i've never been a fan of hilary swank, but this nearly changed my mind. sure, there are a couple of things (people) i could do without, but it's such an emotional ride you'll barely notice.
10. jack ketchum's the girl next door. so these next two movies aren't for everyone, but i was totally intrigued from the first moment i heard about them. they're both based on the story about the FJSDFJDSOFS (i can't even say it, it's painful and there's torture involved and stuff), and even though they were both different, they didn't disappoint.
11. an american crime. re: everything i said above, and top it off with ellen page finally convinced me she has acting chops.
12. across the universe. this movie really endeared itself to me. i've never really understood the beatle mania, not gonna lie, but i think i started to get it a little bit, after watching this. the leads were all brilliant, the music was brilliant, the cinematography and editing were a little artsy for my taste, but no less brilliant. so. all round brilliant. :D
13. the dark knight. i watched this movie for the same reason everyone else did: heath ledger. and he totally made the movie. if you haven't watched it yet, you really, really should. i'm banking on him winning the oscar for best supporting actor.
14. eagle eye. i loved this for shia. end of story. also, best cameos of my life and i really enjoyed the action. it's one of those movies you go in thinking, well this is going to suck, and then your mind is completely blown when it doesn't.
15. high school musical 3. ha! like i would leave this off my list. the best, feel-good movie of the year, and zac only gets prettier as the franchise grows older. i squeed about it here, A LOT, and i watched it five times in the cinema. dude, if you know me, you know that i never do that. never. but the way they went from tv to the big screen was stunning. gabrielle and troy are awesomely stunning together, and all the dance numbers were so great.