I'm not going to go in to why McG calls himself that, when I'm sure his parents gave him an actual name. A director's moniker shouldn't save or sink a film (unless he's called Scorsese or Wood, Jr.), so McG's name isn't the reason why Terminator: Salvation is tosh. Christian Bale's (in)famous rant at his cinematographer shouldn't be a reason why this film is so bad, nor should it cause any prejudice either. We don't care that Klaus Kinski pulled a gun and threatened to kill Werner Herzog during the tumultuous shoot of Fitzcarraldo (1982), even after seeing it on countless documentaries, like My Best Friend. It was inconsequential - Fitzcarraldo turned out to be an amazing film. Whether the feud between Kinski and Herzog was the reason, one can only speculate. No, Terminator: Salvation is tosh regardless of the knowledge that Bale spew out verbal bile on a hapless cinematographer.
I grew on Star Wars on VHS. So, I was spoon-fed about its awesomeness from a very early age (though I don't agree with it today). The first Terminator film came out when I was 2, so I wasn't able to watch it then. But, when the Terminator 2: Judgment Day came out, I actually saw it in theater. I was speechless at T-1000 walking through prison bars ("what is a prison, dad?"). I had nightmares when Jennette Goldstein stabbed her husband with her arm (say what?). And as a teenager my favourite catch-up line was "Hasta la vista, baby" - I couldn't speak Spanish then and most of the recipients of this line couldn't speak English. In other words, I grew up as a Terminator-freak. It defined my childhood and teenage years, until I saw Mel Gibson painted half his face blue. I hated the third Terminator - I can't even remember what the plot was. I remember Arnie acting like he was bored and a little too old for this role. And there was a hot Terminator chick, but she wasn't Linda Hamilton. No, sir.
And now this. Tosh. What made the first two Terminators so good was the humour and the mythology. There is none of that humour in the fourth (and please, make it the last) instalment. I feel like my childhood is being raped over and over again ("Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles" ... puh-leeze!). Why? With each version they are making less money and gaining more bad criticism from the critics and the public. Why do they keep on doing them? I admit, I am weak - I actually went to see it. I paid to see it. Big mistake. All I want to do right now is watch the first two and remind myself how good they were.
One other thing. I don't think Terminator: Salvation is bad only when compared to the previous films. It's bad on all counts. The acting is at best on par with The Hottie and the Nottie. There are a couple of decent chase scenes and the obligatory action scene involving a truck, but "A-Team" had those too. A good action scene doesn't make a good film (see Ronin). A good film needs good characters, dialogue ... you know the drill.
There will probably be worse films this year, but none will be as disappointing as Terminator: Salvation. Please, don't be back.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
This Is England (2006)
Shane Meadows is a great filmmaker. Perhaps the most consistently brilliant British director of the last decade. Even though Danny Boyle gets the international and occasional commercial accolades (deservedly so) and Ken Loach still produces magnificent films even after forty years in the business, Shane Meadows is the real deal. I am a little biased here as a former resident of Nottingham and an alumnus of the city's main university, where I took a course in his then very brief but distinguished career. With its short running time (just 60 minutes), Small Time (1996) was an astonishing film. 24:7, starring Bob Hoskins, was a fantastic coming-of-age story shot in a nostalgia-inducing black and white. There were duds, of course. Once upon a Time in the Midlands (2002) failed despite best intentions. No one was ready, though, for the emotional assault that his next film had brought: Dead Man's Shoes is quite probably the best British film of the decade.
With This Is England, Meadows follows his similar theme and setting: working-class youths trying to find their way in small town Nottinghamshire. The humour, which was crucially missing in Dead Man's Shoes, is back here with buckets. We are in 1983. Britain is at war with Argentina and ska is everywhere. Sean, whose father dies fighting for the British in the Falklands, is bullied at school. On the last day of the term he befriends a gang of wannabe skinheads / ska punks. They cut his hair and show him around the block. Sean, for the first time in his life, feels respected. Things go sour when a real-deal skinhead, Combo, comes back from serving three years in prison. He wants recruits to sweep the nation from "foreigners". He takes a liking for Sean and takes him under his wings. The rest of the original gang want nothing of it and leave Sean to Combo's mercy.
There are plenty of cringe-inducing scenes and plenty of scenes that are purely horrific. The finale has brought tears to my eyes. Meadows' use of music should make Danny Boyle pretty uncomfortable in his throne. Without telling much of what everybody feels, the scenes play out organically and the result is another resounding success. I haven't yet seen Somers Town - set in London - but I'm pretty sure it's going to be exceptional. The real superstar director of Britain isn't Boyle. It should be Meadows.
With This Is England, Meadows follows his similar theme and setting: working-class youths trying to find their way in small town Nottinghamshire. The humour, which was crucially missing in Dead Man's Shoes, is back here with buckets. We are in 1983. Britain is at war with Argentina and ska is everywhere. Sean, whose father dies fighting for the British in the Falklands, is bullied at school. On the last day of the term he befriends a gang of wannabe skinheads / ska punks. They cut his hair and show him around the block. Sean, for the first time in his life, feels respected. Things go sour when a real-deal skinhead, Combo, comes back from serving three years in prison. He wants recruits to sweep the nation from "foreigners". He takes a liking for Sean and takes him under his wings. The rest of the original gang want nothing of it and leave Sean to Combo's mercy.
There are plenty of cringe-inducing scenes and plenty of scenes that are purely horrific. The finale has brought tears to my eyes. Meadows' use of music should make Danny Boyle pretty uncomfortable in his throne. Without telling much of what everybody feels, the scenes play out organically and the result is another resounding success. I haven't yet seen Somers Town - set in London - but I'm pretty sure it's going to be exceptional. The real superstar director of Britain isn't Boyle. It should be Meadows.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
[Rec] (2007)
It seems we're still not getting sick of watching epileptic videos of people in peril, knowing or assuming that those screaming and agonizing poor sods probably did not live to tell the tale themselves. What The Blair Witch Project did more than a decade prior - setting up a viral ad campaign to mythologise what is obviously a human construct - continued last year with the JJ Abrams-produced Godzilla wannabe, Cloverfield and its doomed videographer and his friends as they escape a gigantic metaphor for the September 11th attacks. I was abjectly unimpressed by either film, albeit watched in awe at least a couple of scenes in each, such as the ambiguous and terrifying finale of the former and the criminally-underused arachnids that terrorised the New York subway system in the latter.
Spain's answer to this trend - already remade in the US as Quarantine (2008) - doesn't have the audacity to claim its veracity with a disclaimer. We are plunged in to the situation from the get-go: a TV crew accompanies firemen to a "boring" call for an old woman trapped in her apartment. Two policemen at the scene debrief the firemen and before they know it the old lade bites one of the policemen in the neck. Zombie-bashing ensues. Meanwhile, the police have cordoned off the building - rather quickly, I must say - and won't let anybody in or out. You can guess what transpires from this point on: one by one, the one-dimensional inhabitants of the building, the firemen, and the policeman fall prey to the menace until the "final girl" survives ... along with the cameraman.
The scares are a-plenty, but thet very seldom catch you off guard. The acting is as shaky as the camera itself and the violence is satisfyingly gory, though not so much to put off the average horror fan. There is an absurd attempt at explaining the whole shebang, which derails the film from its promising track onto an old and tired one. The homage to The Silence of the Lambs at the finale doesn't save it from shooting itself in the foot. All in all a mildyly satisfying film, but is let down by a clunky justification. There was no need for it.
Spain's answer to this trend - already remade in the US as Quarantine (2008) - doesn't have the audacity to claim its veracity with a disclaimer. We are plunged in to the situation from the get-go: a TV crew accompanies firemen to a "boring" call for an old woman trapped in her apartment. Two policemen at the scene debrief the firemen and before they know it the old lade bites one of the policemen in the neck. Zombie-bashing ensues. Meanwhile, the police have cordoned off the building - rather quickly, I must say - and won't let anybody in or out. You can guess what transpires from this point on: one by one, the one-dimensional inhabitants of the building, the firemen, and the policeman fall prey to the menace until the "final girl" survives ... along with the cameraman.
The scares are a-plenty, but thet very seldom catch you off guard. The acting is as shaky as the camera itself and the violence is satisfyingly gory, though not so much to put off the average horror fan. There is an absurd attempt at explaining the whole shebang, which derails the film from its promising track onto an old and tired one. The homage to The Silence of the Lambs at the finale doesn't save it from shooting itself in the foot. All in all a mildyly satisfying film, but is let down by a clunky justification. There was no need for it.
Fermat's Room (La habitacion de Fermat, 2007)
The movie psychos are geniuses. They are impeccable masterminds that manipulate an entire city to carry out their evil plan. They are the puppet-masters with infinite access to incredible wealth and technological know-how. Fermat's Room riffs on the same notion that, when needed, a criminal mastermind will devise a plan so devious, it falls to the characters to explain what the hell is going on.
In this case, we have four individuals who also happen to be mathematical geniuses. So, a regular layman or your run-of-the-mill police officer will not even come close to expose the genius behind the riddle. I'm throwing around the word "genius" very liberally, because I wanted to counterbalance its lack in the film itself.
Four master mathematicians are called to a secret meeting at a secret location in the Spanish countryside. The anonymous participants soon find themselves in an immaculately decorated room in an abandoned factory. So far, so good. We are then introduced to the titular Fermat, who happens to be the person that sent out the invitations. However, he seems like an unassuming old chap. After having dinner, Fermat receives a call from the hospital where his brain-dead daughter is. After he leaves, the remaining four receive enigmas through a PDA. If they can't solve them in time, the walls start closing in.
As it usually happens, the guests try to solve the mystery behind Fermat and the room. And, of course, why they are here facing an inevitable death. Along the way certain secrets and connections are revealed between the characters and that's when the film starts a downward spiral that it never recovers from. It is not that the secrets are obvious - they are random at best - but the way they are revealed is utterly pointless. They just tell each other. One secret is exposed, then the camera lingers on another member and he/she reveals his/her secret. That's it. They keep on talking as the walls start moving in.
What was great about Cube and its comparably poorer sequels was that we didn't know who or what was behind the incarceration of these people. It didn't matter. They just had to get out of the Cube, somehow. By explaining, Fermat's Room shoots itself in the foot. Despite its premise, it is one of the stupidest films I have ever seen.
As for the acting ...
In this case, we have four individuals who also happen to be mathematical geniuses. So, a regular layman or your run-of-the-mill police officer will not even come close to expose the genius behind the riddle. I'm throwing around the word "genius" very liberally, because I wanted to counterbalance its lack in the film itself.
Four master mathematicians are called to a secret meeting at a secret location in the Spanish countryside. The anonymous participants soon find themselves in an immaculately decorated room in an abandoned factory. So far, so good. We are then introduced to the titular Fermat, who happens to be the person that sent out the invitations. However, he seems like an unassuming old chap. After having dinner, Fermat receives a call from the hospital where his brain-dead daughter is. After he leaves, the remaining four receive enigmas through a PDA. If they can't solve them in time, the walls start closing in.
As it usually happens, the guests try to solve the mystery behind Fermat and the room. And, of course, why they are here facing an inevitable death. Along the way certain secrets and connections are revealed between the characters and that's when the film starts a downward spiral that it never recovers from. It is not that the secrets are obvious - they are random at best - but the way they are revealed is utterly pointless. They just tell each other. One secret is exposed, then the camera lingers on another member and he/she reveals his/her secret. That's it. They keep on talking as the walls start moving in.
What was great about Cube and its comparably poorer sequels was that we didn't know who or what was behind the incarceration of these people. It didn't matter. They just had to get out of the Cube, somehow. By explaining, Fermat's Room shoots itself in the foot. Despite its premise, it is one of the stupidest films I have ever seen.
As for the acting ...
Saturday, May 23, 2009
In the Loop (2009)
Armando Ianucci's political satire hides has a lot of similarities to a recent war and its build-up. In fact, it never denies the fact its obvious influence except for the obligatory disclaimer at the end of the credits that the people and events depicted in this movie are fictitious. So many films have been made about the war in Middle East and its multi-faceted nature: the actual battle on the streets (The Kingdom), its effects back home (In the Valley of Elah), its effects on the soldiers (Redacted), and many more. I think it is fair to say that the majority of these films were borderline flops, both critically and commercially. Though, personally I thought Redacted was fantastic.
What's great about In the Loop is that it offers a very fresh view of the war and its politics in that we never see or have a sense of the existence of the faces we are accustomed to in the news. We don't see the Prime Minister or the President, we don't see the Foreign Secretary or the Secretary of State. What we have here are the second- and third-tier players who seem to be aming the decisions for the famous faces.
When Simon Foster (brilliantly portrayed by tom Hollander), the minister for International Development for Great Britain, utters the phrase that the war is a foreseeable outcome, the Prime Minister's Communications Officer, Malcolm Tucker goes ballistic. The foul-mouthed Scot makes sure that Foster can't get awy with this easily. There is a vote in the UN in the coming days and he doesn't want any mention of the war in a positive or negative light from anybody. Cue their counterparts in the US, who have their own agenda to influence the vote one way or another.
There isn't much in the sense of a plot other than some cringe-worthy and hilarious meetings in either side of the Atlantic and Foster's constant humiliation by his peers. However, the crisp writing and a subtle sense of humour makes this a very engaging satire. There is a slight glitch in the third act where the tone shifts to become a little serious, but does little damage to overall effect. Like last year's Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the film is one of the better recent films about the contemporary political climate. And it is just as funny.
What's great about In the Loop is that it offers a very fresh view of the war and its politics in that we never see or have a sense of the existence of the faces we are accustomed to in the news. We don't see the Prime Minister or the President, we don't see the Foreign Secretary or the Secretary of State. What we have here are the second- and third-tier players who seem to be aming the decisions for the famous faces.
When Simon Foster (brilliantly portrayed by tom Hollander), the minister for International Development for Great Britain, utters the phrase that the war is a foreseeable outcome, the Prime Minister's Communications Officer, Malcolm Tucker goes ballistic. The foul-mouthed Scot makes sure that Foster can't get awy with this easily. There is a vote in the UN in the coming days and he doesn't want any mention of the war in a positive or negative light from anybody. Cue their counterparts in the US, who have their own agenda to influence the vote one way or another.
There isn't much in the sense of a plot other than some cringe-worthy and hilarious meetings in either side of the Atlantic and Foster's constant humiliation by his peers. However, the crisp writing and a subtle sense of humour makes this a very engaging satire. There is a slight glitch in the third act where the tone shifts to become a little serious, but does little damage to overall effect. Like last year's Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the film is one of the better recent films about the contemporary political climate. And it is just as funny.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
"Medea" (1988)
The scene of Jason's fruitless attempt at finding Medea in a field of hay is peculiarly reminiscent of a Van Gogh tableau. Although the super-grainy cinematography is at odds with the bright yellows of the Dutch master, Von Trier's characters (or archetypes) blend seamlessly into their surroundings. Reading Ancient Greek plays now has a similar effect - you are all too aware of the archetypal quality of the events and the characters. It is to Von Trier's credit, then, that this all-too-familiar and somewhat generic story becomes a beast unto itself.
We all know the story - Medea seeks revenge after her lover, to whom she bore two sons, betrays her by marrying King Creon's daughter. The King banishes Medea, fearing that she might to harm to his daughter. Jason tries to explain his reasoning to no avail as Medea is adamant. She devises a plan: first she will poison the King's daughter (Glauce), then she will kill her own children.
Von Trier's film is faithful to the original in every way but two crucial events. Glauce, who is criminally absent and silent in the play, is a talking and constantly undressing young woman. Another deviation from the play comes in the infamous scene where one of the children plays a very active part in his own hanging. The film, based on the great Carl-Theodor Dreyer's script that he never materialized, doesn't take many other liberties with the text. Yet, Von Trier manages to convey a story both universal and strongly Scandinavian.
This is perhaps Von Trier's greatest achievement before taking up the role as the public face of the Dogme '95 - it is a beautifully shot film that is deeply unsettling. The second hanging is as difficult a scene as I have ever witnessed. Although Von Trier lost the plot with his Anti-American trilogy, the third of which still hasn't surfaced, this is a reminder (as if we actually ever needed in the first place) that he is one of the most formidable directors working today.
We all know the story - Medea seeks revenge after her lover, to whom she bore two sons, betrays her by marrying King Creon's daughter. The King banishes Medea, fearing that she might to harm to his daughter. Jason tries to explain his reasoning to no avail as Medea is adamant. She devises a plan: first she will poison the King's daughter (Glauce), then she will kill her own children.
Von Trier's film is faithful to the original in every way but two crucial events. Glauce, who is criminally absent and silent in the play, is a talking and constantly undressing young woman. Another deviation from the play comes in the infamous scene where one of the children plays a very active part in his own hanging. The film, based on the great Carl-Theodor Dreyer's script that he never materialized, doesn't take many other liberties with the text. Yet, Von Trier manages to convey a story both universal and strongly Scandinavian.
This is perhaps Von Trier's greatest achievement before taking up the role as the public face of the Dogme '95 - it is a beautifully shot film that is deeply unsettling. The second hanging is as difficult a scene as I have ever witnessed. Although Von Trier lost the plot with his Anti-American trilogy, the third of which still hasn't surfaced, this is a reminder (as if we actually ever needed in the first place) that he is one of the most formidable directors working today.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Top 20 Movies of 2008
After a salvo in December, I have managed to catch up with what 2008 had to offer - both the Award-worthy fodder and soon-to-be-forgotten "gems" (88 Minutes, anyone?). I have yet still to see Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, Clint's Gran Torino, and the Woodster's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Obviously there is no guarantee that these movies wold break into the list, but the hype and acclaim surrounding them dictates so.
So, here are my Top 20 Films of 2008:
1- I've Loved You So Long [Il y a longtemps que je t'aime] (Philippe Claudel; France / Germany): Kristin Scott Thomas gives one of the performances of the year (we have been very spoiled with good acting this year). It is a film with a lighter heart than seems on the surface and there is a sense of doom that still hovers over every scene. A minimalist film in terms of production (DV camera shots of unglamorous locations), but scores big on emotional intensity.
2- Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh; UK): Sally Hawkins' Polly is an infectious character and worthy of any award that is bestowed on her this year. Despite being completely devoid of irony, Leigh delivers one of his most daring pictures that demands its audience to completely immerse itself in his brilliant creation. It is also one of the funniest movies of the year.
3- Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle; UK / USA): It has become a regular event for Danny Boyle to make every genre his own. However, nothing has prepared us for this. Although it is not strictly Bollywood, it has an air of exotic that lifts it from its otherwise schmaltzy premise. As uplifting as a film can be, this is directing of the top notch.
4- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (David Fincher; USA): You can practically write for pages about the similarities and parallels between this and Forest Gump (1994), which was also written by Eric Roth, but ...Benjamin Button is still a magnificent creation on its own. In Fincher's hand the F.Scott Fitzgerald-penned story is elevated to another level of sublimity in its state-of-the-art special effects and brilliant cinematography. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett both give equally astounding performances.
5- Doubt (John Patrick Shanley; USA): This is a talking piece and its stage roots are ever so evident. It boasts probably the best cast of the year in Meryl Streep (as always, amazing), Philip Seymour Hoffman (again, as always ...), Amy Adams (a real revelation here), and Viola Davis (a tiny role in a key scene). The success of Doubt lies in its ambiguity: regardless of the outcome or the truth, the film succeeds in showing baseless conviction vs. apparent guilt / innocence.
6- In Bruges (Martin McDonaugh; UK / USA): A refreshingly non-PC comedy that has a melancholy that parallels its absurdity quite well. The script also blends the surreal with the real in a way that never becomes jarring or out-of-place. Colin Farrell finally shows his potential and finds, with Brendan Gleeson, a perfect sparring partner. Ralph Fiennes provides that little dose of divine into the proceedings.
7- Revolutionary Road (Sam Mendes; USA / UK): Back after 12 years, Leo and Kate this time convince us of their romance. It would have been the flawless masterpiece of 2008 if it hadn't been for its unflinching lack of hope. It is a demanding view that is ultimately rewarding in a cinematic sense, but it is too dark and desperate. Perhaps that is why it is such a great piece of work.
8- Burn After Reading (Joel & Ethan Coen; USA): The Coens' return to their slapstick days hasn't been as glorious as last year's perfect No Country for Old Men, but it is as close to their hilarious best this side of the millenium. The cast, as always is the case for the inimitable siblings, is pitch-perfect - from John Malkovich's axe-wielding ousted CIA agent, to George Clooney's sleazy nympho lobbyist, to Frances McDormand's pathetic and desperate woman-in-middle-age-crisis, to Brad Pitt's hapless personal trainer. and it's funny too.
9- Otis (Tony Krantz; USA): This straight-to-DVD video-nasty is high up on this list because of its irreverent humour and creative gore. Once the tone is registered by the viewer, it is a laugh-out-loud thrill ride that has more scares than your average blood'n'gore flick and more funny gags than a million genre spoofs. High-art, it ain't. But high-fun it certainly is.
10- The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan; USA): This will always be remembered as Heath Ledger's last completed film. Credit where credit's due: Ledger gives a fantastic performance, deserving accolades despite his untimely death. However, the film is equally stunning in other aspects too. Bale finally fits into his suit and Aaron Eckhart's Two-face is the most complete character of the revamp. Nolan's stunning visuals make this - unarguably - the greatest comic-book adaptation ever.
11- Milk (Gus Van Sant; USA)
12- WALL-E (Andrew Stanton; USA)
13- Iron Man (Jon Favreau; USA)
14- Funny Games (Michael Haneke; USA / France / UK / Austria / Germany / Italy)
15- Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Kevin Smith; USA)
16- Frost / Nixon (Ron Howard; USA / UK / France)
17- The Reader (Stephen Daldry; USA / Germany)
18- Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg; USA)
19- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Guillermo del Toro; USA / Germany)
20- Valkyrie (Bryan Singer; USA / Germany)
So, here are my Top 20 Films of 2008:
3- Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle; UK / USA): It has become a regular event for Danny Boyle to make every genre his own. However, nothing has prepared us for this. Although it is not strictly Bollywood, it has an air of exotic that lifts it from its otherwise schmaltzy premise. As uplifting as a film can be, this is directing of the top notch.
4- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (David Fincher; USA): You can practically write for pages about the similarities and parallels between this and Forest Gump (1994), which was also written by Eric Roth, but ...Benjamin Button is still a magnificent creation on its own. In Fincher's hand the F.Scott Fitzgerald-penned story is elevated to another level of sublimity in its state-of-the-art special effects and brilliant cinematography. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett both give equally astounding performances.
5- Doubt (John Patrick Shanley; USA): This is a talking piece and its stage roots are ever so evident. It boasts probably the best cast of the year in Meryl Streep (as always, amazing), Philip Seymour Hoffman (again, as always ...), Amy Adams (a real revelation here), and Viola Davis (a tiny role in a key scene). The success of Doubt lies in its ambiguity: regardless of the outcome or the truth, the film succeeds in showing baseless conviction vs. apparent guilt / innocence.
6- In Bruges (Martin McDonaugh; UK / USA): A refreshingly non-PC comedy that has a melancholy that parallels its absurdity quite well. The script also blends the surreal with the real in a way that never becomes jarring or out-of-place. Colin Farrell finally shows his potential and finds, with Brendan Gleeson, a perfect sparring partner. Ralph Fiennes provides that little dose of divine into the proceedings.
7- Revolutionary Road (Sam Mendes; USA / UK): Back after 12 years, Leo and Kate this time convince us of their romance. It would have been the flawless masterpiece of 2008 if it hadn't been for its unflinching lack of hope. It is a demanding view that is ultimately rewarding in a cinematic sense, but it is too dark and desperate. Perhaps that is why it is such a great piece of work.
8- Burn After Reading (Joel & Ethan Coen; USA): The Coens' return to their slapstick days hasn't been as glorious as last year's perfect No Country for Old Men, but it is as close to their hilarious best this side of the millenium. The cast, as always is the case for the inimitable siblings, is pitch-perfect - from John Malkovich's axe-wielding ousted CIA agent, to George Clooney's sleazy nympho lobbyist, to Frances McDormand's pathetic and desperate woman-in-middle-age-crisis, to Brad Pitt's hapless personal trainer. and it's funny too.
10- The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan; USA): This will always be remembered as Heath Ledger's last completed film. Credit where credit's due: Ledger gives a fantastic performance, deserving accolades despite his untimely death. However, the film is equally stunning in other aspects too. Bale finally fits into his suit and Aaron Eckhart's Two-face is the most complete character of the revamp. Nolan's stunning visuals make this - unarguably - the greatest comic-book adaptation ever.11- Milk (Gus Van Sant; USA)
12- WALL-E (Andrew Stanton; USA)
13- Iron Man (Jon Favreau; USA)
14- Funny Games (Michael Haneke; USA / France / UK / Austria / Germany / Italy)
15- Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Kevin Smith; USA)
16- Frost / Nixon (Ron Howard; USA / UK / France)
17- The Reader (Stephen Daldry; USA / Germany)
18- Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg; USA)
19- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Guillermo del Toro; USA / Germany)
20- Valkyrie (Bryan Singer; USA / Germany)
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