Screen Gems of 2009

When you go to the movies as often as I do it is not uncommon to run out of quality first-run films, especially around the holidays or during award show season. My remedy for this situation is to go see independent films or visit art house and revival theaters. Independent films do not have the money to advertise like mainstream films so they rely on word of mouth, newspaper articles and flyers. That’s why I review as many as I can to help these movies out. I also like to support films from other countries.

Every once in awhile an independent film will hit pay dirt like last year’s Juno, or Little Miss Sunshine the year before. I love it when that happens. But what I like the most about independent films is the sense of discovery, the chance to discover a film for yourself. With studio movies, you see so many previews and interviews beforehand that you feel like you’ve already seen the film before you’ve actually viewed it. But with smaller films you go in unbiased, uncontaminated, and free of pre-conceived notions. It’s like putting the first footprints on freshly powered snow. I love the serendipitous feeling.

If we were to compare movies to precious stones, everyone can appreciate a diamond. They are big, sparkly and easy to see. But there are some of us that value semi-precious stones. We enjoy their unique color, their exotic look, or we revel in the fact that they are different. We still enjoy diamonds, but we like other jewels too. We like variety and the ability to mix things up. So in this spirit I’m going to share some screen gems with you from 2009, little films that sparkle in their own right.

The Damned United

I love surprises when it comes to film. When I went to see The Damned United I had never heard of Brian Cloughie, had no idea what the title meant, nor did I know much about European football (soccer). All I knew is that the film starred Tony Blair and I’ve never seen him in a bad film. I walked into this movie in complete faith and I absolutely loved it.

Based on the life of Britain’s most winning manager, The Damn United immersed me into the world of divisional soccer and how one manager rose to greatness by sheer force of will. It intrigued me, informed me, and most of all entertained me. Tony Blair was excellent and because I knew nothing about British soccer history I had no idea how it was going to end. What a fabulous, delightful, film.

Lemon Tree

I can probably count every Israeli film I’ve ever seen on my two hands, but I’m really glad that I made an effort to see the movie Lemon Tree. Lemon Tree tells the true-life story of an Arab woman who is now a widow and running her family’s lemon farm alone. With the help of a long-time caretaker she barely ekes outs a living, but the farm has been in her family for generations and it is her legacy and she refuses to give it up. One day the new Israeli Minister of Defense buys the property next to her farm and begins to erect a house. The official’s wife is completely caught up in decorating their new home, but she notices the solitary woman next door. They are both trapped in their own cultural prison.

When the security team arrives to install all the alarms and surveillance equipment, they decide that the lemon grove is a security threat. They claim that terrorist and insurgents could hide among the trees. They immediately put up a security perimeter encroaching on the Arab woman’s land and she no longer has access to care for a portion of her farm. The trees that she cannot reach, which are very old, have been in her family for generations. They are now dying because she can no longer water them. The army wants her to cut them down. Alone, and on the other side of the fence both literally and culturally, she summons all her courage to takes the Defense Minister to Israeli court to fight for her beloved trees. This is a film about justice and dignity. It is a beautiful and passionate film.

O’Horton

Sometimes a movie is so quirky that it enchants you. This is what happened to me when I saw the Norwegian film O’Horton. O’Horton tells the story of a train engineer on his last day on the job before retirement. His entire working life has been set on a timetable, predictable, routine, and consistent. But on his final day at work, he misses his train and a whole series of events throws his life out of sync. Some of the visuals are so bizarre that if I stop to think about them right now I will giggle. The character’s nickname is Odd and the name is a misnomer. Odd Horton is a stable, hardworking, normal, man. It is the world around him that has gone crazy and it is the juxtaposition that makes this film so funny. I loved this bizarre, odd, little film.

Moon

It has been awhile since a true science fiction movie has emerged. We’ve had plenty of space westerns, monster movies and battling robots, but a true science fiction movie that makes you think and stretches your consciousness, those are few and far in-between. Moon reminded me of some of the sci-fi movies I saw back in the seventies like Andromeda Strain, Soylet Green or Planet of the Apes. If science fiction is a reflection of our fears, today’s society is concerned over the questions of identity and the de- personalization of corporate culture. Moon is a creepy movie, but it was totally fascinating. Sam Rockwell keeps you intrigued through out.

Bronson

The British love their tabloids and Bronson is about one of their tabloid darlings. Sentenced to seven years for robbing a post office, Michael Peterson has extended his prison stay to over thirty-five years by exhibiting aggressive and disruptive behavior. Thirty of those years have been spent in solitary confinement. He has been dubbed by the media, Britain’s Most Violent Offender.

Michael Peterson changed his name to Charlie Bronson when he was a professional bare-knuckle fist fighter. His promoter thought it was more theatrical. Once inside prison, Bronson became obsessed with the media and anything he could do to attract attention. He has attacked guards, taken prisoners and has even staged protests and riots. But on the other side, he has written poetry, published books and has become a respected and sought after artist. As you watch this film, which is almost like a giant monologue or absurdist play, you can’t help asking yourself, what makes this guy tick? It is a fascinating character study and a commentary on the cult of celebrity. Bronson is a very interesting film.

The Escapist

Every once in awhile, someone will take a tired genre and re-invent it. With The Escapist we have a wonderful new twist on the prison escape film. There are certain conventions that must go along with this genre, but what The Escapist does is start us in the middle of the escape, give us a few visual clues and pieces of information, and then takes us back to the very beginning by introducing us to our main character. Brian Cox plays a lifer who has forged a decent life within his prison walls. But he receives a letter and without letting us in on the contents, he is suddenly very intent on breaking out. He is old, tried, and in poor condition, but for whatever reason, he must get out. The film jumps back and forth along the timeline giving us bits of information as we go. You’ll find yourself riveted.

Brian Cox is magnificent in this film and the supporting cast is excellent, too. Damien Lewis plays the top dog in the prison and he is very sinister and menacing. He is one of the obstacles that Brian Cox’s character must get around. Because the film has an unorthodox time frame, the leaping back and forth keeps the story moving quickly. If you don’t hang on you’ll get left behind. This prison escape film is a very satisfying thriller.

The Weather Girl

The Weather Girl may not be a great movie, but it certainly was a lot of fun. When I was watching it I had a sneaking suspicion that someone in television wrote the script and then asked all his friends to join along. And sure enough, when I got home and looked it up, the writer/director has done a lot of television and many of his cast mates have performed with him before.

What I liked about The Weather Girl is that it was fun and uncomplicated. Tricia O’Kelley plays a weather girl who is living with the station’s head anchor played by Mark Harmon. In a change of pace, Mark Harmon plays a total sleaze bag that gets caught cheating on his girlfriend with his co-anchor. When the weather girl makes her discovery, on-air, she has a total meltdown on live television and subsequently gets fired. Since she lives with her boyfriend she is forced to move out and then move in with her brother who still lives like a college student. As she is struggling with unemployment and self esteem issues, she becomes famous when her tirade goes viral on the Internet making her a local celebrity. This makes being taken seriously in job interviews a real problem.

The script has some very funny lines and the movie is full of hysterical cameos by the likes of Jon Cryer, Jane Lynch, Blair Underwood, etc. It was nice seeing them do something outside of television. Patrick J. Adam and Brian Devlin, who play the younger brother and the guy next door, are adorable. And Kaitlin Olson, who plays the other women with an extreme quilty-conscience, is outrageously funny. I really enjoyed this film.

Adam

Rose Byrne plays Beth Buchwald and she is tried of lying and cheating men. When she becomes acquainted with her upstairs neighbor she is attracted to him because he has Asperger’s syndrome and seems incapable of saying anything but the truth. At first his honesty is shocking and difficult to deal with. But soon she is appreciative of a relationship that is so sincere and open. Of course her family and friends are concerned, however Rose is open to the idea. The handsome Hugh Dancy plays Adam, which explains a lot. But this is a relationship full of obstacles. Will they get past them is the question. Hugh Dancy is wonderful as Adam and Rose Byrne is honest and moving. I really liked this small quiet film.

Song Of Sparrows

I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen an Iranian film before, but I was really moved by Song of Sparrows. It tells the story of a modest family living outside of Tehran in a poor rural community. The father of the family has a job as an ostrich farmer, but when one of the expensive animals escapes into the desert, he is blamed and loses his position. To add to his woes, his brilliant daughter damages her hearing aid right before final exams. He must find a way to get it replaced so she can graduate and make something of her self for the family.

When the father rides his motorcycle in to the big city to look for a repair shop, he is mistaken for a motorcycle taxi and before he can figure out what is happening, a stranger hands him a large amount of cash to drive him down the street. Realizing this could be a way of making fast cash, he observes what the other taxi drivers are doing and mimics their behavior. This happy accident could be his way out and he decides to return each day to the city and look for more fares.

Soon, being exposed to all the new construction, glamour and commercialism of the growing city, the father is no longer content with his modest home. He starts bringing home little luxuries, which concerns the wife because she is fine without them. Meanwhile, his children have their own get rich ideas. They have taken over an abandoned desert well and want to raise expensive decorative fish to sell. But first they need money for a breeder pair. While their father is away chasing money on his motorbike, they are executing get rich quick schemes of their own. This film shows how consumerism is ruining certain ways of life and how fast cash can compromise your values.

The Hangover

Lately, it seems that every year one little film breaks out and becomes a giant hit. For 2009, that film was The Hangover. Now I’m not going to sit here and try to analyze why this film struck such a chord with America. I don’t think anyone has ever had a weekend quite like that. Suffice it to say, America found this movie extremely funny. It is crude, offensive, vulgar and crass, but it’s all about presentation. Somehow this motley group of guys gets away with it and in the process charms the masses. I’m sure this movie will spawn a sequel and no doubt many imitators. Then we’ll know what they did right by observing how everyone else gets it wrong.

In Summary

The whole reason I started my Blog was to share my love of movies and to draw attention to films that the average person may not see. I always find it incredible when I meet people that only go out to the movies once or twice a year. But what they don’t often mention is that they watch a lot of movies at home, on television or on DVD. So this list is for everyone. Whether you are a frequent moviegoer like me, or you rent your movies and watch them at home, search out these little films. They all have something to offer and are worth the effort to see them. Let’s embrace the auteur filmmakers and support their original voices. If we don’t we are doomed to more re-makes, sequels and tired formalistic films. Corporate Hollywood has very little imagination.