Burlaki [back] on the Hudson

With my very limited movie-watching programme of the second half of the year, I was surprised to learn that I managed to see more films for the first time this year than I did last year (50 vs 47). Below the fold is my by now traditional year-end round-up.

First, a couple of words on the last few movies I’ve seen, of which there were but a handful in the couple of months since I last provided a brief round-up of my watching activities. Hopefully, if you were curious enough to look below the fold here, you also read my review of Avatar, which was unquestionably one of the best cinematic experiences I ever had.

Of the few DVR-enabled viewings, I unexpectedly quite enjoyed The Time Machine, given that I heard mostly negatives about it in the years since it came out. The second half of the movie and ultimately the plot resolution felt unconvincing, but the premise and the delivery weren’t bad.

Mamma Mia! was a bit of a disappointment, with less than stellar singing from everyone except Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, and occasionally bordering on grotesque choreography that, for me, did not translate well from the stage to the screen. And maybe I am awfully stereotyping her, but I was not convinced by Meryl Streep’s free-spirited forty-something single mother; I suppose not having seen her in many – any? – light-hearted roles, I felt that she was miscast. The music itself did provide a bit of saving grace.

I managed not to be aware that Burn After Reading was a Coen brothers’ movie until the credits started to roll, or I might have been prejudiced to it on account of my recent disappointment with No Country for Old Men. It was funny enough and paced enough so that I formed a mostly positive opinion of it. Low body count may have contributed to that, coupled with excellent performances of all members of the main cast.

And now, the list.

2009 releases
Avatar	2009		Nothing like this has ever been done in cinema.
Coraline	2009		Not really for children, but an excellently-made animated movie.
Star Trek	2009		Too many “how does that make sense?” moments, but a very enjoyable reboot nonetheless.
Taken	2009		Rooting for Liam Neeson as a superdad on a mission is a no-brainer.
The International	2009		Gorgeous European locales, but boring.
Watchmen	2009		Good story, great execution, provokes arguments.
Last year releases
10,000 B.C.	2008		Uninspiring plot, hodgepodge of ancient civilizations.
21	2008		Sharp plot, characters that I can identify with, good acting.
Burn After Reading	2008		The cast is great and there are just a couple of characters getting offed.
Deception	2008		Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman are both good, but it goes downhill as the plot starts to unwind.
Fool’s Gold	2008		Lightweight and enjoyable adventure in gorgeous locales.
Get Smart	2008		A few good super-agent jokes don’t make up for overall silliness.
Gran Torino	2008		Poignant and moving, and Eastwood’s acting is brilliant.
Hancock	2008		Interesting superhero story at first, disintegrating into melodramatic and illogical.
In Bruges	2008		Points for Colin Farrell’s acting and for scenery.
Mamma Mia!	2008		Less than stellar singing makes for a unfavorable comparison with stage musical. Can’t help but enjoy ABBA’s music, though.
Slumdog Millionaire	2008		Good glimpse into the culture of India, but hardly an Oscar material.
The Counterfeiters	2008		A very powerful depiction of several facets of the Holocaust.
The Incredible Hulk	2008		Dull story, some good special effects.
Valkyrie	2008		Despite some sketchiness, a good rendering of an interesting historical event.
Vicky Christina Barcelona	2008		Good performances, great backdrop.
Wanted	2008		Some mind-blowing action, but a mostly inane plot.
Also this decade
Across the Universe	2007		Nicely executed collection of Beatles’ covers.
Charlie Wilson’s War	2007		A bit cavalier with time lines, but otherwise brilliant “hidden” story of a history-turning military conflict.
Eastern Promises	2007		Brutal and dark, but gets points for Russian authenticity.
Good Luck Chuck	2007		Easily the worst movie I’ve seen all year, Jessica Alba notwithstanding.
Hitman	2007		Nice actions sequences and beautiful locales, but the worst in terms of Russian authenticity I’ve seen in years.
I Am Legend	2007		A well-executed post-apocalyptic story.
Juno	2007		An instant family favorite, despite sticky subject matter.
La Vie en Rose	2007		Disorienting in execution, but the music and the period theme are very enjoyable.
Lions for Lambs	2007		A study of how our ideals get warped around the policies of our leaders; brilliantly acted.
Little Miss Sunshine	2006		An engaging portrayal of a mildly dysfunctional family.
Lucky You	2007		Cards-related movies seem to attract me, but there is little of note here.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets	2007		Entertaining and briskly-paced adventure. Forget the plot.
No Country For Old Men	2007		Boring and largely incomprehensible.
The Bucket List	2007		Excellent acting from two grand masters; good story with a number of poignant moments.
The Darjeeling Limited	2007		The scenery is resplendent, but the procession from one remotely comical situation to another left me cold.
The Time Machine	2002		Interesting re-imagining of the old story, a bit unconvincing in the end.
Transformers	2007		Dumb plot, little acting. You have to have an attachment to the old toys to like it.
War	2007		A dark and violent mob revenge story; points for an unexpected twist.
We Own the Night	2007		Good period piece, very authentic in depicting Russian immigrants, but not a great plot.
20th century
An Officer and a Gentleman	1982		Good acting, well-developed plot; a rare comparative “oldie” that I rate high.
Desperado	1995		Grotesque but also balletic gun violence. And Salma Hayek!
Fargo	1996		Uneven, with good acting but also weird plot turns that come up short of a “Britcaper”.
Ghostbusters	1984		Bill Murray’s acting is a positive.
sex, lies and videotape	1989		Bored the hell out of me.
The 13th Warrior	1999		Somewhat simplistic, but an overall rousing heroic story.
The Untouchables	1987		A bit sketchy, but several excellent acting performances and a historically interesting story.
The War of the Worlds	1953		Rudimentary special effects skew the comparison towards the recent remake, but a solid movie for its time.
Wise Guys	1986		Amusing in places.

Books & Movies