Revolutionary Road

This film was incredible - a heartrending, agonizing window into the lives of a couple struggling to make themselves BE happy. They are miserable, and put on the bravest of faces while inside they are screaming - at themselves, at each other, and occasionally at those that point their finger at the awful truth - their endless hopelessness. It is uncomfortable to watch at times, like when you are in a restaurant and overhear a couple nearby arguing - you can't help but listen, and at the same time feel incredibly uncomfortable witnessing their private lives.

Kate and Leo are awesome, there is no other word for it. Their individual ranges and their chemistry make for powerful love scenes and hate scenes. Their appearances as the happy and special couple, the Wheelers, are made all the more poignant and remarkable when contrasted with their passionate and volatile private relationship.

I can see how many viewers would see this as well worn territory for Sam Mendes, as the parallels with American Beauty are clear, right down to the musical score which works well in some places but eventually becomes annoyingly repetitive. But the look, script and pacing of the story are much better that American Beauty, as are the characters. These are real people in real distress, with no dream sequences to distract you from the ongoing onslaught that is their life.

It is a crime, big time, that Leonardo DiCaprio was not nominated for this. And Kate too. What were the academy members thinking? Michael Shannon was excellent in a fairly small role, and added a great spark to the fuse of the bomb that is the Wheelers' lives.

This film definitely gets added to my recommendations for 2008. Too bad I won't be able to vote for it at Oscar time.

2008 in review

Granted I still have many movies to see to be able to adequately comment on the year, but here's where I stand thus far.

Movies I Still Have to / Want to See:

Blindness

Bottle Shock

Brideshead Revisited

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Defiance

Last Chance Harvey

Milk

Quantum of Solace

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

Vicki Christina Barcelona

The Visitor

Wendy and Lucy

The Wrestler

2009 movies I'd recommend:

Cloverfield - a very well done monster movie.

Dark Knight - Batman, Heath Ledger, enough said.

Doubt - although I thought the play was better, and Meryl Streep seems to have lost her facility for spot-on accents, this was a good film.

Eagle Eye - a well done thriller action movie.

Fugitive Pieces - likely my favourite of the year. Also, one of my favourite novels of all time, so very fortunate for me that the film did not ruin that, as so often happens.

Funny Games - definitely not for everyone, but this unnerving  spooky film stayed with me for days.

Gran Torino - Clint is awesome, and the theme song makes the abrupt ending of the film okay.

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - a good sequel to the even better first film, too bad they changed so much of the story.

In Bruges - wicked funny, a real surprise. Ralph Fiennes was awesome.

Kung Fu Panda - nearly peed my pants laughing.

Mamma Mia! - nearly sang out loud all the way through. How can you not love Abba? (although Pierce Brosnan should not sing. Ever.)

Son of Rambow - delightful, funny, touching story.

Wall-E - well done prophecy, very timely in our days of consumerism, obesity, and technology.

2009 movies I'd recommend you NOT see:

The Happening - see review below. Most ridiculous movie of the year.

Death Race - would have been an it-is-what-it-is car race/prison movie, were it not for the embarrassing appearance by Joan Allen - she must have lost some pretty serious bet with someone to have to appear in this, and say some of the worst dialogue of the year.

Appaloosa - . Renne Zelleweger puts the Appalling in Appaloosa. Only Viggo Mortenson saves this from becoming Appallingoosa.

One Missed Call - a silly horror movie that we watched only because the movie store put the wrong DVD in the box, and neither of us had the energy that evening to get up and shut it off.

Pineapple Express - if I had read the back of the DVD box and realized that this was brought to me by the same schlockmeister who brought me Knocked Up (one of my most despised movies of last year), I never would have rented it. As it was, we endured as much as we could (about 40 minutes) before shutting it off. 

Transsiberian - just plain awful.

As we get closer to the big day (Oscar day, 22 February 2009 - mark your calendars, and don't call me after 4:00pm), I'll hopefully make a significant dent in the want-to-see category, especially those with Noms. Early predictions:

• Kate Winslet for Best Actress
• Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actress
• Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor