Final Thoughts on Buster Keaton

I must start this blog entry with a correction. In my earlier blog which I posted yesterday, I discussed Keaton's short film "Hard Luck" had a missing scene with him jumping off a diving board and through pavement only to appear years later with his Chinese family. I stated this scene had been lost forever, however I just discovered yesterday by coincidence that the lost footage was indeed found and put on a newly restored version of "Hard Luck". To my astonishment I had this version of the film all the time in my "Art of Buster Keaton" box set. The definitive version of the film doesn't appear on the regualar DVDs but on the special features DVD which has other lost or alternative scenes from other Buster shorts. That's what I get for not watching my special features.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed my month long tribute to Buster Keaton. I hope I made Keaton watchers out of all of you. He is still considered by many to be one of the greatest film makers who ever lived not to mention one of the greatest comedians ever as well. Many people fall under the impression that Keaton's career ended with the advent of sound. This is a false statement, while many silent actors found it difficult to make the transition to sound, Keaton remained popular, unfortunately for us film lovers, Keaton lost creative control of his films after he signed on to MGM. Keaton would remain a steady working actor for the rest of his life and sometimes he was a gag writer for the likes of W.C. Fields and The Marx Brothers, but his work would never equal his innovative days in the silent era.

Keaton was known as the Great Stone Face, never cracking a smile even when he was photographed publicly, but I would hope if he were alive today seeing all of us cinephiles admiring his films he might be smiling on the inside.

Stay tuned tomorrow for what I'm planning in February, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The Mini-masterpieces: Keaton Shorts

You cannot talk about Buster Keaton's body of work without mentioning his shorts. Keaton was still making short films long after his contemporaries Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd moved on to feature films. According to Keaton's Autobiography, he wasn't considered a bankable enough star to carry an entire feature.

After studying a number of Keaton's shorts along with some of Chaplin's I would say, Keaton's come off the best. Chaplin seemed to be using his shorts to better refine his tramp character, while Buster used his to further experiment with camera techniques and show off his keen grasp of the sight gag. One of my favorites is the opening sequence of "The Goat". In it Keaton is waiting in the bread lines not realizing the men in front of him are mannequins. Then there is his early use of special effects in "The Playhouse". In it Buster is performing his own show at the local theatre where he is playing everyone involved. This includes an entire orchestra, to the conductor, to a stage hand, to the people in the audience. And this was years before people like Peter Sellers made doing multiple characters a common practice.

We can also see a number of gags that Keaton would use later to greater effect in his features. There is the famous sequence in "The Goat" where Keaton arrives in the front of a train engine in a very innovative close-up. You can't help but think of Keaton hanging on for dear life in front of a train engine later in "The General".

However, Keaton's shorts were not as well preserved as his features, which has caused some now infamous missing scenes. The most famous is probably the climactic sight gag in "Hard Luck". In it, Keaton's character, determined to end it all jumps off a diving board into an empty swimming pool. But instead of killing himself he breaks through the ground. Years later he comes back to the exact same spot this time with his newly aquired Chinese family. Keaton has called this scene the funniest he has ever done. The closest we have gotten to see the real thing comes curtesy of stilled images of Keaton with said Chinese family.

Most of Keaton's shorts have a running time of about 20 minutes and none of them seem too short or too long. They do what short films are suppose to do and that's leave you wanting more. Keaton knew exactly how to end on a high note.

SHERLOCK JR.: WHAT MOVIES CAN DO

I have a tough time talking about any one movie from a great director, I always think "why not choose this one, or that one?" To pick a favorite movie, particularly by a man such as Buster Keaton would be unfair to the artist. Keaton's films belong as a group and should not be thought of as separate entities. However I do not think I could sit here on my computer and compose an entry on every single film he's done, (if I had time however that would be an ideal situation for me). So in a way I am picking one of his masterpieces "Sherlock Jr." for the people who have never seen a Buster Keaton film just to give you a little taste of what you're missing.

"Sherlock Jr." runs about 45 minutes, which probably makes it along with Bunel's "Un Chien andalou" and countless Warner Brothers Cartoons as one of the shortest masterpieces in film history.

The first time I saw "Sherlock Jr." I thought I was watching a magic show. I didn't know what to expect, I had seen Keaton films before, but this one sounded a bit different. It's the story of a film projectionist who one day falls asleep while watching a mystery movie and then imagines himself on the screen as the famous detective Sherlock Jr. The idea is a simple but ingenius one. In the short time he is given, Keaton pretty much sums up that film is capable in doing anything, in other words there are no boundaries. Keaton is in control of his own destiny, he makes up the rules and the rest follow him, this of course sets us up with some of the most inventive and memorable gags ever.

The one scene that still has me baffled every time I see it is when Keaton, in order to escape from some jewel thieves jumps through the stomach of his assistant and then through a fence. The shot doesn't seem to have any cut aways, so I don't know any other way this is accomplished, not that I mind, I always have my mouth in open wonder when I see this performed, and part of me who loves the mystery of movie making just doesn't want to know.

The film itself is a surreal exercise with a bit of absurdity in the end. The sight gags such as Keaton jumping out of a window which is rigged with one of his disguises is priceless. The jewel thieves run out to chase him but instead find what looks to be a ragged old woman. Then there is the memorable climactic chase with Keaton on the handle bars of a motor bike being driven by no one. To watch this scene is to watch sublime comedy to perfection.

There are still some people who choose not to watch Keaton, or Chaplin, or The Marx Brothers simply because they are old. Supposedly if they are old they are not funny, or what was funny back then is no longer funny now. This nonsense can only be attributed to (and forgive my harshness) ignorance. What Keaton has shown us with "Sherlock Jr." it's that movies can do anything and it would be a hard sell indeed to try to convince me there is a comedian or even a film maker out there today who has created a world as clever, insightful, and hilarious as Buster Keaton.

Lacks Emotion

"Emotional Arithmetic" has everything going for it, terrific actors playing deeply wounded characters, rich visuals, and a compelling little known story about the holocaust, so why was I left cold at the end?

The film is the story of Melanie Winters (Susan Sarandon) who as a child was held in an internment camp known as Drancy which was on the outskirts of Paris. Drancy was usually an away station for people who were to be sent to death camps. However Melanie is saved after a man named Jakob switches her name with his. Now all grown up Melanie is living in Canada with her husband David (Christopher Plummer) and she has a son (Canadian actor Roy Dupuis) and Grandson, however she is forever plagued by the memory of Drancy and Jakob and the young boy Christopher whom she fell in love with while staying there. These memories have caused Melanie to become unstable which lead to her having nervous breakdowns.

Then out of the blue, Melanie gets word that both Jakob (Now played by Max Von Sydow as an old man) and Christopher (Gabriel Byrne) are coming to visit. Melanie now has to deal with unresolved issues with her past as well with her husband and son. We learn that Jakob has survived the death camp but at a price, due to constant shock treatments done on him his memory isn't what it used to be, and he also no longer writes which is something he did before. Christopher still carries a torch for Melanie and he always felt their relationship was left unresolved.

Director Paolo Barzman definitely has a great visual eye, many of the outdoor scenes are breathtakingly beautiful, however I felt his direction for the actors wasn't as crisp. For all purposes this should've been Sarandon's movie, she is given so many great moments to be this emotional anchor and at some crucial times she is very effective, but I sensed her overacting an bit and in that way her character never comes off as believable. In the role of Christopher, Byrne isn't given much to do other than remind Melanie of what they had before, he comes off as too passive, but I don't think that is his fault, the whole Christopher/Melanie relationship never gets the kind of payoff it so rightfully deserves. I felt Dupuis was also in the same boat, his character may have been the most understanding or perhaps the most wounded as the son of Sarandon who has to put up with her eccentric behavior but that is never examined for us.

However the two characters we come to understand are the ones played by Plummer and Von Sydow, I would almost recommend seeing this movie just to see these two old pros play off one another. As Jakob, Von Sydow gives us a sad shadow of a man who doesn't seem to remember many of the things Melanie has dedicated her life to not forgetting. It's a tragic and subtle performance. As Melanie's literary professor husband, Plummer plays David as a bitter man trying desperately to compete with his wife's tragic past.

There were many good scenes in "Emotional Arithmetic" but to look at the film as a whole, it was disappointing, it ends with a whimper, and I felt it was headed for something a bit more substantial.

Incidentally "Emotional Arithmetic" is a Canadian film which debuted in September at the Toronto Film Festival. I'm not sure if it has been released wide around North America yet but I believe I read of an April release date.

2.5 stars out of 4

Big Monster Small Scale

At the end of "Cloverfield" I heard a lot of moans and groans at the theatre. "That sucked" said one guy sitting near by. As a side note, sometimes I just don't know what people want from their movies, is it me or are they sometimes more happy with just a routine formula film. Anyway I guess "Cloverfield" isn't the kind of movie worth getting all worked up about. For the record I found it very enjoyable, the handheld camera movement was a sometimes distracting gimmick that wore out its welcome by the end, but I gotta say there were a few really scary edge of your seat moments.

"Cloverfield" begins with a going away party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David) while his best friend Hud (T.J. Miller) is video taping the event. But things are interrupted by the arrival of a very big very scary looking monster who invades New York City. While everyone is evacuating, Rob goes through the city to rescue his trapped on again off again girlfriend.

Other than the hand held camera technique, there isn't anything new or special "Cloverfield" brings to the monster movie genre, we still get a bunch of stock characters like the good looking hero, the damsel in distress, and the wise cracking best friend, along with some other characters who are there for the soul purpose of getting killed off. I did not get involved with their lives that much. But the reason to see a monster movie like this is to see the monster, but the film goes the "Jaws" route by not showing the full thing till near the end. What we do get are fragments and blurry visions of the beast as it devours New York. Perhaps that is what got most people so irate at the end, I don't know, personally I think that aspect works, it makes the creature more mysterious and frightening. But I think the most chilling points involve the monsters tiny off which kinda give off a zombie effect if they bite you...woops was that a spoiler?

"Cloverfield" is like a coming attraction for the summer movie crowd, and something to get excited about in the dull January release schedule, but from what I heard coming out of the theatre I could be wrong.

3 stars out of 4

IT'S ON!!!!

Well the Oscar nominations are out, and the two most critically acclaimed films of the year "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will be Blood" received the most nominations with 8 a piece. Now that's something to cheer about. As Chigurh would say, "Call it". More later.

R.I.P. Suzanne Pleshette

I found out this morning that Suzanne Pleshette passed away at the age of 70 today. Pleshette is probably best remembered as the wife of Bob Newhart in one of the greatest sitcoms ever "The Bob Newhart Show", but movie fans probably best know her as the doomed school teacher Annie Hayworth in Hitchcock's "The Birds".

Oscar Darkhorses

Now that we have those pesky Golden Globes out of the way (and quickly might I add) it's now time to get down to the epitome of Hollywood elitism. There has always been some things about the Oscars that gets my blood boiling. It's mostly that they care more about prestige over quality, and there is always something rather snobby about that. My biggest pet peeve is when they sometimes give a huge giant self-important epic like "Titanic" or "Lord of the Rings" a pass and sweep an entire night's worth of awards. Can you really say one movie deserves every single Oscar.

But arguing like that is about as equal as a football fan complaining about their least favorite team. I have a weakness for the Oscars, I love watching the show (except the stupid red carpet where they discuss what everyone is wearing.), I love rooting for my favorite movie to win, even though they don't more than often. But I'm a sucker for those moments like last year when Martin Scorsese finally won best director (for a movie that was rather below his standards "curse you Oscar!!!), and I do like it if we have a good host (I loved Jon Stewart and Steve Martin in the recent years). So as for now since the Oscar nominations are to be announced this Tuesday I thought instead of predicting my choices (I'm bad at predicting) I'd rather show some dark horses who haven't got a chance in hell to be nominated but I hope a miracle does happen that will make it so.

(Note I will not include any best picture dark horses since you will probably see in my top ten list what I think should win best picture, in the mean time here are some choices for the other major categories)

BEST DIRECTOR: While I don't dispute the fact that it'll be nice to see auteurs such as The Coen Brothers or P.T. Anderson, or Tim Burton announced this Tuesday, my hope would be to see one of these names as well.

John Carney for "Once" Carney went the Truffaut/Godard route and made what looked like a French New Wave musical with his brilliant "Once". He never limited himself with his $150 000 budget, and using a very documentary feel to his film and getting very natural performances from his two unprofessional actors, he pulled off a very sublime, beautiful film.

Paul Greengrass for "The Bourne Ultimatum" Though perhaps not seen as prestigious as his "United 93" last year, Greengrass for some has created the most memorable action movie of the decade. His set pieces will surely be copied for years to come by every Hollywood hack coming out of the wood works, but Greengrass pulls every scene off masterfully.

Andrew Dominik for "The Assassination of Jesse James...." Dominik was able to give us a poetically haunting vision of the final days of Jesse James. The imagery, tone, and pace of this film was pitch perfect.

BEST ACTOR: It seems the only sure thing in this category is Daniel Day Lewis, the other four are open to anybody, maybe Johnny Depp, maybe James McAvoy, who knows. But before we speculate any further here are some names that you shouldn't forget.

Tommy Lee Jones for "In the Valley of Elah"/"No Country for Old Men" : Two subtle not so showy performances which is why he may be overlooked, but for me Jones gave two of the greatest performances of this year. In "Elah" he is the wounded father who searches for answers after his son is mysteriously murdered. In "No Country" he is the voice of his generation trying to make sense out of senseless violence. In both films he depicts great sadness but not even shedding a tear. It's in his eyes and tough exterior that we get all the wounds in the world weary man, this is classic film acting.

Gordon Pinsett for "Away From Her": Julie Christie is getting all the awards comotion for her delicate portrayal as a woman with Alzheimers, but have people forgotten that this woman had a husband? Pinsett had the unglamourous role as the man who has to sit there and watch his wife forget him as she falls in love with someone else. Like Jones, we don't need a big emotional scene with Pinsett to understand his sadness. This man has been a well respected Canadian actor for years and as a Canadian it would be great to see his name on the ballot.

Christian Bale for "Rescue Dawn": Bale just may be the craziest actor working today, and when he is hooked up with the craziest director working today, it's a match made in Bedlam. In the role of war prisoner Deiter Dangler, Bale doesn't hold anything back, his performance can be described as heroic insanity, who stoops to anything to find freedom.

BEST ACTRESS: This is shaping up to be a three way race with Julie Christie, Marion Cotillard, or Ellen Page, and any one of those performances are worthy of an Oscar, but let me just make room for the two remaining spots.

Keri Russell for "Waitress": Ellen Page kind of stole her thunder but before "Juno" was on anybodies lips, Russell was the other ingenue with an unwanted pregnancy. Russell glows in this wonderful slice of life as a waitress in an unhappy marriage who begins an affair with the local doctor, but through it all we see Russell go through sadness, joy, and finally blinding love for her newborn girl.

Laura Dern for "Inland Empire": If the Academy wants to be creative, then Dern's performance should not be overlooked. She plays what seems to be multiple characters, and in the whole screwy David Lynch world, she makes them all seem believable.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem seems to be the other sure thing along with Daniel Day Lewis to win this category, but here are some other names to consider.

Robert Downey Jr. for "Zodiac": It's hard to believe Downey ever had a drug problem all those years ago, he's been working steadily ever since and is able to make any bad film good just by being in it. I hope the Academy doesn't overlook his work here as the reporter who's life becomes damaged after trying to uncover the mystery that is the Zodiac killer.

Armin Meuller-Stahl for "Eastern Promises" In a frightening performance as a crime boss of the Russian mafia underworld, Stahl would make Denzel Washington's "American Gangster" cry for mercy.

Andy Griffith for "Waitress" : As the grumpy pie patron in Adrienne Shelley's sweet comedy, this is Griffith's most showy role in years, and he just devours it as he would one of Keri Russell's pies. It would just be a pleasure to see Griffith get a nomination after years of work that has been under appreciated.

Michael Cera for "Juno": There are a lot of great supporting roles in this pregnancy comedy, but I pick Cera for his deadpan, cracked voiced Paulie Bleeker the red and yellow track and field uniform wearing scrawny kid who wins the heart of Ellen Page.

Paul Rudd for "Knocked Up": Another scene stealing performance from the funniest man of the year. Paul Rudd should just be every bodies best friend, and Judd Apatow seems to agree with me.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: This will probably be down to the wire with Amy Ryan and Cate Blanchett but here are a few other names that haven't been mentioned very much.

Leslie Mann for "Knocked Up" : As the wife of Paul Rudd, she's really the one who suffers the most. She makes things heart breaking and funny such as the scene where she finds out her husband decided to go see "Spiderman 3" with his friends instead of her. I never thought a line like "I like Spiderman" would almost bring me to tears.

Adrienne Shelley for "Waitress" : Shelley wasn't just an aspiring writer/director, she was also a talented comedic actress, and perhaps only after Keri Russell gives the sweetest and most gentle performance as an ugly duckling of a waitress who finds her own one to love. It is indeed a great misfortune to have lost such a great talent.

Running with the Story

"The Kite Runner" is the kind of film that has a strong enough story, it doesn't need to rely on special film making gimmicks to make it interesting, I was enraptured in it from the very beginning.

The story concerns two child hood friends named Amir and Hassan who live in Afghanistan in the late seventies. This was before the country was overrun by the Taliban or even invaded by the Russians. The two boys are like kindred spirits, Amir the more educated one likes to tell stories and Hassan loves to listen to them. But their favorite recreation is kite flying where they compete with many of the other children. The object is to cut the other kite's thread until yours is the only one left standing. Hassan has a special gift and always knows where the kites land so he can run and claim it as a prize. However one day something happens to Hassan that Amir witnesses that changes the course of their friendship forever.

Soon after these events Amir and his father must smuggle themselves to America as the Russians invade, while Hassan and his father stay in Afghanistan.

The story then becomes more of Amir's as we see him grow up in America to become the writer he is destined to be. He meets a lovely woman whom he marries, but soon his past catches up with him as he now must confront his life with Hassan once again.

As I was watching this film I felt as if I was reading a really good book, and that shouldn't be any surprise since it is based on a popular bestseller, but I was intrigued with this story and compelled to know what would happen next. It held me to the very end. There are many surprises and twists along the way, and the themes of friendship, family, loyalty, and redemption are all treated with just the right tone. Some of the twists may seem a little far fetched but by that time, the whole world of the story takes hold of you that you don't really care and just go with it.

I also don't want to leave out an important sub-plot between Amir and his father. The father/son relationship is what turns Amir into the man he is to become and their love and understanding for each other is what makes this film so special. It is also Amir's father that holds a secret about Hassan that becomes so important with the climax of the film.

This film doesn't come with any sort of baggage. All the actors are unknown and most of the language is in subtitles. Marc Forster the director has made some pretty good movies in the past like "Finding Neverland" and "Stranger Than Fiction", and he brings the same kind of emotion with this film as he did with those. This is the kind of film for people who think they don't make good movies anymore. This is a story that should be told and one that will keep you interested.

4 stars out of 4

Saw a Play and other news

Hello Everybody, it is I Jeremy. Haven't really been updating my blog all that much, at least not as much as I'm accustomed to. I'm still planning my top ten list of 2007 which will be revealed ASAP. Unfortunately weather has postponed my seeing movies. It's snowing rather hard here which prevents me from driving to the closest big city to see "There Will Be Blood", "I'm Not There" etc... However "The Kite Runner" is showing locally so hopefully you will see what I thought about that. Also "Cloverfield" will probably be the first official 2008 film that I will see as well, so there are a lot of things to look forward too.

Also I will have a couple of more posts coming for my director of the month Buster Keaton so watch out for that.

ALSO... I just wanted to share with you guys a really great play I just saw a couple of days ago. It's entitled "Red Light Winter" and is playing in Red Deer Alberta. I was blown away by it, and I don't normally write about plays on my movie blog, but this was very well done. It's done by Ignition Theatre which is Red Deer's first professional Theatre Company, and involves the story of two friends who are visiting Amsterdam and meet up with a girl working in the red light district. Without giving much away, I'll just say it's a story of an unrequited love, friendship, and betrayal. The acting and directing is superb and the play itself is subtle and heartbreaking with a knockout of an ending, I loved it and am probably going to see it again. And no I am not just ranting about this play because I happen to be in Ignition Theatre's next production, but very rarely has a theatre experience made me feel the way I do when I walk out of a movie.

I don't mean anything against theatre when I say that, but I've always felt differently about them than I do about film, this play just seemed to work on a sort of film mentality where sometimes during the show the actions spoke louder than words. The beginning starts with one man on stage saying nothing for what seems like an eternity, I was so interested with what he was doing that it didn't matter. The ending makes sort of a nice bookend to the same idea as we understand what happens to the three main characters with little or no dialogue at all.

Anyway I'm probably going to see this play again to get a full grasp to it all. So if any of you are in Red Deer in the next week, let me just again to go see this play. See ya soon.

Thoughts on Buster Keaton

I don't remember how old I was exactly when I first saw a Buster Keaton film. I do remember the first film I saw of his was "The General" since it was the only one my local video store carried (you see back then it was known as video). I knew right away I was enamoured by the film and by Keaton's persona. There was something about him I could identify with and root for.

What made Keaton so appealing was how he was always the underdog but he never let that stop him. He really never let anything stop him to reach his goal. Through his films he would learn to adapt to the things around him and be able to solve problems his own way. If you put film in a mathematical sense, you might say D.W. Griffith discovered the basic math of it, while Buster Keaton was advanced calculus. His way of film making was to make the impossible look possible. My favorite gag in "The General" has to be where Keaton is about to fire a canon at the train engine ahead of him, but after hitting a bump, the canon aims directly at him instead. However in a stroke of dumb luck, Keaton's train just happens to turn a corner on the tracks which makes the space clear for the canon to hit the other train instead. In real life it might be hard to believe something like this could really happen, but in Keaton's skilled hands, it comes off seamless.

An even bolder statement of unreal circumstances seeming real was in his masterpiece "Sherlock Jr." it is with this film where he truly demonstrates the possibilities movies have. In it Buster plays a film projectionist who daydreams of becoming a world famous detective, and while dozing off in a movie house, he dreams that he is now in a film playing the main detective. By doing this Buster now has free reign in his world, and it plays by his rules. In Keaton's world it becomes perfectly logical for a man to jump out a window into a dress to disguise himself from his enemies. It's also logical for him to jump through another man's chest and and also go through the wooden fence that is standing behind him. (I'm still not sure how Buster achieved this certain gag, and part of me never wants to know because it is one of those genuine magic moments that amazes me each time.)

If you ever go to Roger Ebert's website entitled www.rogerebert.com and go to his great movies list, you will find a wide number of classic movies to choose from. However when it comes to Buster Keaton, Ebert makes an exception. Instead of listing a number of his films individually such as "Sherlock Jr.", "Our Hospitality", "Go West", and "The Navigator", Ebert instead packs them all up into one category which he entitles "The Films of Buster Keaton". (The only exception is "The General" which he had on his list when he first started it.) Ebert does this because Buster Keaton's films act more as a whole body of work rather than individual films, and that is the only way to view them.

I have a special spot for the classic comedians most of whom got their start in vaudeville and made some of the most memorable comedy films in history. If I'm ever down and out, I could just pop in The Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, or Keaton's silent movie rival Charlie Chaplin and feel better again. But Buster Keaton was the true film maker above all of them, he helped change film language and showed us its various possibilities. After reading Keaton's autobiography "A Life in the World of Slapstick", Keaton modestly states that he did what he did in his movies because he thought it would be funny. Well if that's all he felt his movies were then I'm grateful for that, and I hope he would've been grateful that it also meant so much more to to so many others.

Jeremy's Special Jury Prize: Inland Empire

David Lynch's "Inland Empire" is getting my special Jury Prize because unlike any other film I saw in 2007, this doesn't seem to follow any set formula, it's experimental, challenging, yet full of disturbing but sometimes beautiful imagery. This is also a film that fits perfectly with the DVD generation.

"Inland Empire" actually came out independently by Lynch at the tale end of 2006, but it was with DVD that it found its true home. Because Lynch produced it outside of the studio system, he was able to make his own 2-disc DVD Special Edition of the film which enriches the whole experience. I haven't been able to watch all the special features yet, but what I have seen are a must for film fans in general. Probably one of the most interesting things I've seen on the features is called "Lynch 2" where we see in three 10 minute intervals David Lynch the director at work going through all aspects of the film. Whether it's berating his assistant Jeremy about being in the shot, or whispering something into Laura Dern's ear (obviously something about the film he doesn't want the audience to know.) or painting his own interior sets, it is a fascinating and funny mini-movie about this unique genius.

Now let's get to the actual movie. I can't say I enjoyed all of "Inland Empire" it may be Lynch's ultimate head scratcher, but I can't deny how it drew me in. Laura Dern plays an actress who is getting a part in the movie of a lifetime. We find out this film has had somewhat of a sordid history, and not all is what it seems to be. It seems to me (although I've only seen the film once) is that Laura Dern maybe playing more than one character, or her actress character is playing the part in the movie within a movie, I'm not sure. It's a mystery that I don't know has a resolution. The tag line on the DVD box simply says "A Woman in Trouble", which seems to be the only clue Lynch is willing to give us. It is filmed entirely using digital technology which gives it a more grainy and abstract look at the world which keeps the viewing less at ease while watching it.

I can't say watching "Inland Empire" was a fully pleasant experience, there were times I wanted to turn the film off and scratch my head a few time, but like some great art, it is something that begs to be discussed and debated. David Lynch was never the kind of director who had any easy answers, and sometimes he seems like a director who has no answers. I think he's more interested in the experience, and whether it's a pleasant one or not, it's a strong reaction that cannot be denied.

I intend to revisit "Inland Empire" again, and I would encourage others to watch it and judge for yourself. I think what you will find is a unique film that doesn't fit anywhere else with the ones that were released this year. It's its own entity which is why I'm fitting it in this special category.

Jeremy's Honorable Mentions

Just to let everyone know my top ten list of 2007 will be a long drawn out process. I have yet to see "Im Not There" and as a devoted fan of Bob Dylan, I must withhold my list until I at least see this movie (fear not it will be appearing in a theatre near me this Friday). I was also going to hold out for "There Will be Blood", but that thing is taking forever to be released wide I wonder if it should even be considered a 2007 film. Not that it matters, most people have made up their own top ten lists already, my list will probably be deemed anti-climactic. Just to let you know there will probably be no big surprises on my list. For those who know me, you already know what my number one choice will probably be, but for those who have no idea, then you obviously don't pay much attention to this blog.

But anyway before I unveil my defining Top Ten List of 2007 I thought I'd share with you a few films that although were close didn't quite make cut. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go out and see them right away. They were after all highly recommended by yours truly.

Zodiac: Probably David Fincher's best film, as it traces the investigation on the famous Zodiac killer. Jake Gyllanhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and the great Robert Downey Jr. provide great performances as the men who become obsessed with capturing him.

Hot Fuzz: If you were to ask me back in April what I thought the best film of 2007 was, my answer would've been this one. Definitley one of the funniest movies of the year, this reteams the creators of "Shaun of the Dead" for a dead on parody of Police action films, along with those cozy British village comedies. Good for a chuckle.

Superbad: A raunchy comedy if ever there was one. Because of this film, the term McLovin is now in our cinema land lexicon, and Michael Cera creates a classic deadpan expression for every awkward moment he's in.

Atonement: Beautifully filmed adaption of the Ian McEwan novel casts Keira Knightley and James McAvoy as two lovers who are separated after a young girl falsly accuses McAvoy of a crime he didn't commit. The film is set against a wartime back drop and draws upon epic love stories of the past to create a rich, complex film.

Michael Clayton: George Clooney stars as a man who is brought in by his law firm to clean up an embarrasment brought on by Tom Wilkinson. The film is one of the best legal thrillers since the 70s with a well written screenplay by first time director Tony Gilroy.

Rescue Dawn: Christian Bale stars as a prisonor of war during Vietnam in Werner Herzog's frightening and chilling drama about the true story of Dieter Dangler, who escaped his prisonors only the have to go through the strange dark Vietnamese jungles to gain his freedom. Bale shows why he is one of our great young actors, and Steve Zahn is hardly recognizable as Dangler's friend. Another note about this film, some people wrote it off as a straightforward prisonor of war drama. There is nothing straightforward about this film.

Ratatoullie: Pixar does it again with the story of a rat who longs to be a gourmet chef in Paris. This is a charming, funny tale from director Brad Bird, with wonderful bits of character and animation thrown in.

Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman: The story of the life of the last hangman of England and how his job takes its toll. Timothy Spall (Who you might've seen this year in "Enchanted" and "Sweeney Todd") gives a great performance as Pierrepoint and one I wish were getting more awards attention.

In the Valley of Elah: Tommy Lee Jones gives his usual subtle performance as a man who investigates the death of his son who fought in Iraq. Of all the films that captured the outright anger towards the Iraq war, Paul Haggis' film caught the somberness of the soldiers as victims the best. Combined with Jones' oscar worthy performance, this one unfortunatly passed a lot of people by.

Into the Wild: Sean Penn's poetic telling of Christopher McCandless, who threw away all his possesions to go out and live in Alaska. Emile Hirsch gives perhaps the years bravest performance as Christopher. The film is a wonderful love letter to the landscapes of America and the people in it, and also the idealism of McCandless' spirit.

And Finally.....

The Return of the musical

I had to say something about the great stream of visionary musicals that appeared in 2007. Hairspray was probably the most charming about a young girl's dream to dance on a local television show, Across the Universe was the most polarizing using Beatles as the soundtrack in the lives of young people during the turbulant sixties, and Sweeney Todd was director Tim Burton's return to the macabre with the story of a man (Johnny Depp) who becomes consumed with his own vengence.

Well that's it. Stay tuned for more coming soon.

The Great Buster Keaton

If you have never seen a Buster Keaton feature, or short, here's a little taste at what you're missing. More Later....

If They Could Turn Back Time

Very often in tragic romances, there is always that moment that separates the lovers forever. In "Atonement" we get that moment very quickly, in fact it comes so quickly we don't even get to see the lovers have a proper affair. "Atonement" is a very complex story, taken from the novel by Ian McEwan, it was so complex it was thought to be unfilmable. Having not read the book I can't say if it was or not, but I was very intrigued the this story.

The film begins at the home of the wealthy Tallis family. The youngest daughter Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is a very imaginative 13 year old, she has just finished her very first play and is planning to show it off to her family. But there are other things afoot on this day. When Briony looks out her window, she sees something very peculiar. By the fountain she sees what looks to be the housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) mistreating her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley), when in fact it was the sight of two shy young people who have feelings for eachother. Later Briony mistakes another scene between Robbie and Cecilia as a violent act, which causes a chain reaction that will separate them forever. Briony accuses Robbie of a crime he did not commit and he is sent to prison.

Four years now pass Robbie released from prison to serve in the war, Cecilia is a nurse working in London, while Briony who is coming to grips with what she has done is taking her nurses training, each of these three characters long for that time when their destinies were changed and would do anything to go back there.

First of all I just want to take the time to address how beautiful "Atonement" looks. If there is a film that people should study on how to make your actors look like classic movie stars this is it. Both Knightley and McAvoy are lit in a classic way that is breathless and lifts this film out of realism into something only movies can deliver.

The film also is able to draw upon the epic scale of the classic love stories of the past. There is a moment where Robbie stumbles upon a valley of dead children during the war that reminded me of that classic shot of the wounded soldiers in "Gone with the Wind". However the one misstep this movie has is the long tracking shot with Robbie on the beach at Dunkirk which goes on for 5 and a half minutes. This shot seems to bring attention to itself and took me out of the movie and I wonder of the importance of it.

The more effective scenes that showed the carnage of war is when we see the hospital Briony is working in overcome with wounded, and later Briony in a touching sequence sitting at the bedside of a wounded soldier.

The film itself seems to be more about Briony's tale than it is the two lovers. It is her journey through trying to forgive herself for what she did that is the emotional anchor. Vanessa Redgrave appears at the end of the film to put everything into full circle and it is all done beautifully. This is the kind of movie people should see twice I think to fully understand it's world, I know I will have to.

4 stars out of 4

Crazy Kids

"Juno" is like a nice dinner, you get just the right amount of portions that don't spoil your appetite, and you don't leave overstuffed. There were so many times "Juno" could've gone off the deep end by being too clever or too self-satisfied with itself, but it does a great balancing act by maintaining a sense of credibility with its characters. Most of the credit can go to Ellen Page a very gifted actress who plays the 16 year old Juno MacGuff who gets herself pregnant.

Juno is the special kind of kid who is wise beyond her years, she's clever, insightful, has good taste in music and horror movies, and has just the right amount of eccentricity that doesn't make her annoying. But Juno is also a very scared teenager who is still figuring out what kind of person she is. She doesn't have all the answers, but she's smart enough to know she's too young to have a baby.

She decides to not have an abortion, and adopt her baby instead to a young couple. She finds what she thinks is the perfect couple Mark and Vanessa Loring (Played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) who's ad she sees in a penny saver. Mark and Vanessa are well off, they live in a big house that looks like the baby would be loved in. But pretty soon Juno comes to a realization that not is all that it appears in this picture perfect world.

Juno also has to cope her feelings towards the father of the child Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) a young man who is accustomed to wearing a very hilarious red and yellow track and field outfit. Juno and Paulie are just friends and we are told that their having sex was simply out of boredom, but what we get by Cera's masterful deadpan expressions and slight cracking of the voice when he speaks to Juno is that his feeling run deeper.

What keeps "Juno" afloat are the characters, they are all drawn out, after the movie there wasn't one of them I didn't like. Perhaps the most heartfelt characters are Juno's father and step mother played wonderfully by J.K. Simmons, and Allison Janney. When Juno first tells them of her pregnancy they react probably the same way all loving parents would with shock and disappointment. You can see the hurt in the room when Juno's father tells her "I thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when." But afterwards they stick by her and support her decision, like all parents should.

This film has been getting wide critical acclaim since it's premier at the Toronto Film Festival, but others have dismissed it for being too clever. Perhaps the character of Juno is too good to be true, and there were times I thought the words coming out of her mouth seemed a bit pretentious than clever, but personally I think she comes off that way because deep down she doesn't have all the answers and she herself knows that. Juno does the best that any 16 year old could do in her circumstances, and she's learning along the way.

4 stars out of 4

January Spotlight Director: Buster Keaton

Happy New Year everyone, and what better way to celebrate than announcing this month's Director spotlight. That's right, it's that pioneer of the screen comedy Buster Keaton. Here's hoping this month will be a special treat for you Keaton fans out there or if you're silent movie fans, or silent comedy fans, or comedy fans in general, or movie fans in general. Keaton has been called the greatest of the silent comedians and among the greatest directors ever. I'll be examining his films and life, so join me this January with a celebration of this brilliant man's work.