Decalogue 2006, Rough Draft

Disclaimers: First, I know I am using "decalogue" inappropriately and even irreverentially. I don't care. It sounds cool. Second, a careful count will reveal twelve items in my so-called top ten. Deal. It's a rough draft.

Here is my first stab at a Top Ten list for the 2006 movie season. It's rough, and mostly not in order, but it represents my first attempt to collectively analyze the movie season. Looking at this list, I think it was largely a good one. Great acting seemed to be the hallmark, with a great deal of very personal films getting some wide exposure. Almost all of the good films had an epic sweep/scope to them, making me think (or hope) that all of this conflict and exposure is opening us up to a more international view. Although somewhere deep down, I doubt it. Anyway, here's a list that will probably change a great deal over the next few weeks, as I catch up on the ones I haven't seen.

TOP TEN

Brick - I said mostly in order, this is the exception. Rian Johnson's little masterpiece is number one, top banana, the king cheese for the year. This could be his only film, and he would still be one of my favorite filmmakers. It floored me when I saw it in the spring, and continues to awe and inspire through many DVD viewings. It's even wormed it's way into my current Top Ten of all time. Yeah. It's that good. (Note: I feel some jealously. I've been wanting to make the whole "Noir in High School" concept work in a film of my own for some time.)
The Departed - God I love Scorsese, and here's another reason. This one ranks up there with Goodfella's, Taxi Driver, et all as one of the great's. It's got some absolutely audience-devastating moments that shook me up, wrung me out, kicked me in the nuts, and I loved every second of it.
The Fountain - This is one of those personal films. So raw, it lays Darren Aronofsky almost embarrassingly bare. The salvation of the film, and Aronofsky, is his artist's eye for composition (and that of his D.P., Matthew Libatique), his sensitivity and passion for his characters, and the propulsive, progressive editing that has been the trademark of his earlier films (Pi & Requiem for a Dream).
Babel - Speaking of raw and emotional... Inarritu's films are very difficult to watch. 21 Grams left me shaking. Fortunately I have matured since and could more easily come to terms with my reaction to Babel. A plea for tolerance and empathy, this is the kind of true work of art the cinema seems designed to yield, yet rarely produces.
Children of Men - I love sci-fi that doesn' t seem to know it's sci-fi. Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men is such a film. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, it shook me baby. An all too possible conception of a future where England has been walled off, illegal immigrants are locked away in camps by Homeland Security, and the government and terrorist groups have taken on an equal leval of menace. All grounded by Clive Owen's excellent performance. And if you can figure out how did they did those shots, please tell me.
Casino Royale - The badass Bond film the series had been aching for ever since From Russia With Love. Daniel Craig is amazing, as those of us in-the-know knew he would be, Eva Green is gorgeous, and for once all the stunts, beatings, and love-making seems to mean something.
Deja Vu - I don't think it's possible to be a film fan and not love Tony Scott, however the ever grumpy Moriarty over at Ain't It Cool sees things differently. I can't remember if he liked Deja Vu though, so I'll give him a pass for now. Anyway, this movie kicks ass. That's all I have to say about it.
The Prestige - A friend thought Chris Nolan's latest moved too slow, but I liked it that way. As I thought on the way home, it moves with the stately pace of a funeral procession. It's no spoiler to tell you it's a tragedy, since it walks, talks and feels like one. Very operatic, very dark, and very cool.
Pirates II - I refuse to type the entire title, but at least it's a shorter moniker than the first installment. This movie would have been damn near perfect had they done the same with the running time (shortened it, that is. Keep up.). As it stands, however, it's still a ridiculously entertaining ride, embracing the boisterous spirit of those old Errol Flynn flicks, and adding the sort of imagination modern CG allows. And Keira's hot.
Superman Returns - Along with The Prestige, this is the other operatic masterpiece of the summer, I don't care what any of the fanboys say. More interested in emotional sweep than action and corny one-liners, it's just my kind of movie. Singer strikes again.
The Black Dahlia - Those who know me know I love my Noir. I also have a deep affection for anything De Palma. Put both of them together? Well, it's the stuff dreams are made of. Especially when combined with some freaking incredible cinematography (Zsigmond) and production design (Ferretti). Also, I keep wanting to hate Josh Hartnett but he keeps showing up in movies I like and doing a good job. Damn him.
The Proposition - The anti-Hollywood movie of the year. It doesn't flinch from the evil nature of the protagonists, even while exposing their humanity. Chilling, incredibly acted, and beautifully phographed in Australia.

ALSO DUG
Clerks 2, Miami Vice, Apocalypto, Talladega Nights, Cars, Rocky Balboa, The Illusionist, Marie Antoinette, A Prairie Home Companion, The Good Shepherd, MI:III

STILL TO SEE
The Science of Sleep, Blood Diamond, Pan's Labyrinth, Letters From Iwo Jima, District B13, Volver, Don't Come Knocking, Neil Young: Heart of Gold, Monster House, Old Joy, Inland Empire, Bubble


Recently Watched
Children of Men
The Informer

Weekends and Epiphanies

The last weekend has been busy:

Saturday was spent shooting our IFC Spirit Awards submission, a 90-second short that should turn out pretty funny. True to our natures we ended up with enough material to fill three times that length. We'll probably have to save that for the extended edition DVD.
On Sunday I worked with Mischa again on his "Conversations" short film, a run-and-gun flick on which I'm working as D.P. . Mischa's a good guy, and the short should be interesting. It's got a very cool, 70's-inspired look that's helped by the overcast, rainy winter. Of course, all that wet and cold makes it a bitch to shoot. "Pain is temporary, film is forever," right?


I had an epiphone last night (unfortunately it didn't involve how to spell epiphany): I work best with actors when I know them. This actually comes from watching Cory, who has a very solid bullshit detector when it comes to false moments. It's not the same with me. If I know someone, then I have an excellent sense of when something they say or do doesn't ring true. If I don't know them, however, their expressions are like a series of masks: recognizable as gestures in a broad sense, but inscrutable on an honest emotional level. This means that in the future I will have to spend time with my actors before shooting. Not necessarily rehearsing (although that may be the excuse), but just getting to know them.

Recently Purchased
Johnny Cash - At Madison Square Garden
Fiona Apple - When The Pawn...
Steven D. Katz - Film Directing Shot By Shot
Joseph V. Mascelli - The Five C's of Cinematography

Project Update, As Promised

Here's project info, from the oldest to the newest:

Fifteen Grand
Once known as Cool, this thing has been in the works for a goddamn long time. We filmed it in the summer of '05, and it's been slowly coming together on the editing machine ever since (give me a break, we've been working on other shit). Part of the problem: it's the worst thing we've ever written. Some nice visuals though.

Fall
My baby. Nicole's editing it whenever she has time between her three jobs (one's called Kyle). Shot in January/February of '06, it's probably the most personal thing I've done. It's also taking a while to come together, but my recent viewing of the third-act scene Nicole put together assured me that it's worth the wait.

Band Documentary
I don't know how much the guys want me to say about it, but we're working on a very interesting band documentary. This group of guys (three of them) came together for one weekend, to write/improvise and record an album. It's all instrumental, very moody, and very cool. We're envisioning the documentary as a sort of window into the creative process. The DVD will be a b-side to the album, and there's talk it will be packaged with the CD.

Aces & Eights
Cory's flick, shot this summer, and featuring our best cinematography to date (I wonder who could've shot it...). I've seen the latest cut, and it's easily our strongest short right now (well, until Fall is cut, that is). Definitely festival material once it has finalized sound effects.


In other news, the Music Video we did for Brightwood has reached 2000 plays and has 20 votes. It's coming it at a solid four stars, and with a few more votes we might get some attention for it. So get off your ass and go vote for it!