Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

The tenth film I've chosen to spotlight is 2009's FANTASTIC MR. FOX directed by indie sensation Wes Anderson. This film is one of the best animated films I've ever seen because I like to keep things positive around here.

I've always had a soft spot for Wes Anderson as a filmmaker and screenwriter. His aesthetic is one I've found appealing and fresh no matter how many times I view his films. For some reason, his strong aesthetics only improve with this film. The monochromatic color palette and homegrown feel significantly add charm to the film.

The film features some of the strongest voice acting committed to an animated feature. George Clooney gives Mr. Fox a debonair charm, Meryl Streep plays his wife in a deliciously deadpan way, and Jason Schwartzman's performance as Ash is hilarious and hurt, a young fox whose pride is constantly under siege.

Anderson is already a tremendously creative filmmaker, but this film's zany details are beyond what he usually does. The hilarity of this film is found in the tiniest of ongoing gags, some visual and others not. The film never looks down on its audience and leaves for them a treasure of laughs hidden on every wall and every two or three fox-minutes.

This game looks complicated.

For a children's film, Fantastic Mr. Fox is tremendously mature and deals with adult issues. It has a serene beauty and at times a tragic air. Mr. and Mrs. Fox have a complex relationship and one that is very human. They never forget what they are at heart when things get rough: wild animals. Despite their best intentions to be civilized, their very nature is to be wild.

They are not as wild as some. The wolf is a symbol of both fear and respect. They shudder at his mention, but are quick to revere him. The wolf has not evolved to the point of these "civilized animals," but they view him as compatriot.

Things eventually work out for the best and who knows if they'll stay that way. The film ends on a soaring high note. It's quirky and undeniably sophisticated, but it's got a big beating heart. I enthusiastically recommend this film.

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

The ninth film to be featured on my blog is 2008's HAPPY-GO-LUCKY directed by Mike Leigh. The film stars Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan.

Sally Hawkins stars as Poppy, a joyful primary school teacher. The film follows her everyday journey to inspire happiness in others. Her performance is a luminescent one. Some find her grating and I think that's part of the character. She's so earnest and she means well, but she is essentially blind to the fact that perhaps happiness isn't so easy to share or cultivate.

Still she ushers in joy for many children. The film explores the fundamental need to have fun in life even when things are slipping into the shadows. She creates an atmosphere of absolute elation for her students. The film is quite a similar atmosphere. Leigh has crafted a carefree, fun-filled world that does represent our world, but through the eyes of an optimistic woman.

The central relationship of the film is between Poppy and her driving instructor Scott, played to perfection by Eddie Marsan. Scott is in most ways Poppy's complete opposite and yet the film follows their time together with a certain fondness. It isn't poking fun at Scott, but trying to understand his perspective in relation to Poppy's idealistic world.

The humor in Leigh's film is on point and doesn't disappoint. Where Vera Drake was tremendously dark, Happy-Go-Lucky basks in light, spontaneous humor. Leigh's strength relies on the improvised feel of his films and when done correctly, it feels completely real.

Sally Hawkins is a revelation akin to Amy Adams' performance in Junebug. Hawkins' Poppy observes the world almost as if through children's eyes. Laughing and joking with the idea of living in a world of adults, Poppy is a vibrant personality. Someone who held on to her childhood optimism with great conviction.

However, Poppy is an adult and she is responsible despite her joking tendencies. She tries to foster an environment separate from the world of violence and video games in her classroom and in spite of her effort, she can't shut everything bad out.

This film would best be summed up in a single word: Charming. It helps that Sally Hawkins creates one of the more charming characters ever committed to celluloid. She is a woman you root for and one you cheer for when she gets what she wants. The dialogue is whimsical to the point where it makes me smile too much.

That said, the final scene between Poppy and Scott is a brilliantly sharp change in tone. Poppy's world is overpowered by Scott's rage and hate-filled universe. She is forced to confront the ugliness in the world, but also to confront her accountability for her carefree antics. It's an intense scene, brilliantly performed and shot. I whole-heartedly recommend this film to anyone who has an interest in enjoying themselves.

Smiley Face (2007)

The eighth film I've chosen to feature on this blog is 2007's SMILEY FACE directed by one of my favorite modern directors Gregg Araki. It would best be described as a series of misadventures of a day in the life of a stoner.

The shining stoner star of this picture is the immensely talented Anna Faris. She rarely stumbles (except when immersed in character) in her portrayal of Jane. Her dedication is clear from the start and it's hard not to believe that she ate a batch of pot cupcakes. Anna's performance brings many laughs and you root for her to make it through this day in one piece.

Did I mention this movie is super trippy? Well, it is. The animated credits sort of remind me of the opening for Freeway.

After foolishly eating her roommate's cupcakes, she devises a seemingly simple plan to fix the problem. She'll cook even better cupcakes. Jane's view of the world is ultra-idealistic. She thinks she can do anything while she's high and if this brief shot of her fantasy is any indication, she's delusional.

Of course, being a failure, Jane doesn't finish the better cupcakes and barely makes it to her audition. Jane currently is an actress, but she explains that she majored in economics. Like most things in her life, however, economics didn't really work out. It's easy to assume that drugs led her down this path, but Jane just seems not to care much about anything except pot. She has a chronic apathy that is perhaps more deadly than a drug habit.

Jane meanders through her day haphazardly and the film never really falters for me. Dylan Haggerty's screenplay is funny, clever, and very true to the mind of a pothead. I particularly love her inner monologue about the analogy between cheese and President Garfield.
One other area of the film that deserves special recognition is definitely the sound design. It's perhaps the most effective thing in the film. The heightened sense of sound is alarmingly palpable throughout and it is used in highly creative ways.

"Have you ever....I mean, do you even....well, do you?! You tell your people that!"

Faris is really a marvel in this film. Sometimes you think she's going to take it a step too far and become a total ham. She never does and she always keeps Jane earnest in spite of Jane's flaws. Jane is never meant for love or great success. She is an isolated soul with bright fantastical ideas of what her life could be. She's too unmotivated to ever make this fantasy even close to a reality though.

CARROT TOP! Seriously though. This film has maybe one of the more impressive rosters of cameos. I mean, you have your Carrot Top, that's a given. Then Araki throws in Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, John Krakinski, and Adam Brody to name a few. It's too much fun.

The film's closing is an odd one, but ultimately a realistic outcome for the wayward pothead who makes trouble everywhere she goes. As always, Araki gives the eyes plenty of pretty things and cool colors to look at, but he creates a fun-spirited and lively film at the same time. I whole heartedly recommend Smiley Face. It's a lot of fun and it's Anna Faris at her best.

Hard Candy (2006)

The lucky seventh film to be featured on this here blog of mine is 2006's HARD CANDY directed by David Slade.

This film is a modern cautionary tale as well as a film that makes one question their own moral standing. In a world where predators prey on young children through digital tallgrass of pixels and instant messages. The world defines themselves through usernames now, but what do we really know about anyone we chat with?
Jeff and Haley meet in person and he worships her in complete isolation. It's a spacious area, secluded, where he can avoid shame or scorn. It sets the tone for the rest of the film. They are alone to do what some may consider inappropriate. Already the little girl has the upper hand.
He lets her into his secret world, his home. He doesn't let her into his heart or his head. This whole film is a battle for power or dominance. The color palette is a strong as the two distinct characters.
This shot seems to divide them. Haley is cold and calculated while Jeff's fury and emotions get the better of him. He betrays his secrets while she manipulates him at every turn. Ellen Page is wonderful as Haley. It's a performance that holds such strong conviction, but manages to sneak in a surprising amount of humor. She's clever and appears so vulnerable, but she sinks her fangs into whatever she pleases whenever it's convenient for her. Her mission is large and so is her drive.
Jeff's home is a beautiful one, but one that is a cemetery with unmarked graves. He took every one of the skeletons in his closet and hid them elsewhere. But not too far off because they are a part of him no matter how much he denies it.
Patrick Wilson gives what I consider to be his best performance as Jeff. He gives Jeff a heart and creates an enormously sympathetic character out of what could have been an easily vilified pedophile. He brings emotions of serious depth as Haley attempts to dissect his life with her scalpel.
Hard Candy is a clever film that's sharply written with plenty of wit and gorgeous cinematography as well as two stellar performances. It takes no prisoners and is sure to divide audiences wherever it is shown. I strongly recommend this film.

Junebug (2005)

The sixth film I've chosen to feature is 2005's JUNEBUG directed by Phil Morrison. This film is known mostly for Amy Adams' acclaimed performance, but I think it is one of the best films ever made. It has many other admirable attributes that I'm going to highlight in this entry.

This film at it's very start is a boy meets girl story. Madeleine works for an art gallery and she meets George at an auction. They have a literal love at first sight moment and hit it off immediately. They marry soon after not knowing terribly much about each other, but feeling confident in their love or attraction for one another.
The inciting incident of the film is that Madeleine must visit an artist she's trying to book for her gallery. The artist lives very nearby to George's family. Madeleine is thrust into a world that is polite, but foreign. She is very sophisticated and stands out like a sore thumb. Even the artist she meets with has an almost primitive or childlike style of artwork.
The film is a quiet one and not overtly showy. Its quirkiness emerges from the very reality it creates. Certain moments of this film could very plausibly happen. It is full of glimpses of how people exist. Quietly. Even the way the interior of the house is filmed when no one is there gives the space a strong sense of life.
Of course, I have to devote at least a paragraph to the force that is Amy Adams in this film. Ashley is like Madeleine in a few ways. Technically she was an outsider to the family, but now she is very much a part of it. She has a strong vitality and enthusiasm for family. The baby she carries is essential to her. The child represents hope and the love that she and Johnny shared in the past. She treats Madeleine like a child, but not in a condescending sense. She sees Madeleine as family far before the others even accept the idea. She's protective of Madeleine, but fascinated with her in the way a young girl idolizes an older sister. It's a passionate characterization that is full of life and charm.
The relationship between Madeleine and Ashley is an interesting one because of the idolization. Ashley embodies a childlike naivete despite the fact that she's the one coasting toward motherhood. She's the main character that welcomes Madeleine and makes her feel less like an alien. It's an endearing friendship.
I liked this shot because I thought it emphasized Madeleine's isolation from the family.
It's amazing that Embeth Davidtz didn't get any attention from this film. Her Madeleine is the true masterwork of the piece in my opinion. She creates an intellectual woman who rushes into a marriage with extremely veiled motivation. It's unclear whether she wants children or not or if family is important to her at all. She is consistently surprised by George and vastly unprepared to impress his family. She woefully places her job before them while in the same breath proclaiming their importance. She's a sad, isolated woman who wouldn't know how to connect with her newfound family if it was the most important thing in the world. It's lovely work.
I love the voyeuristic feel of many of the shots. It gives the scenes a sense of privacy that makes them seem unaffected. The performances are strong in their grasp of realism. These people are lived in and not glossed over in a cheesy Hollywood manner.
And the inclusion of real looking character actors is something that adds authenticity to this little gem of a film.
When tragedy strikes it looks as if Madeleine might not be ready for life with this family. They accept her presence more than ever. The subtlety of this film is misleading. The stillness of the woods is also false in their serenity. The emotional turmoil these characters are feeling is deafening.
And, yet, when it's all said and done, there is a strong bond that brings them together. Despite their lack of past, Madeleine and George want to forge a future together. It's touching and real. I love this film and I enthusiastically recommend it.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

The fifth film that I am featuring on my blog is 2004's modern classic ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND directed by Michel Gondry and written by Charlie Kaufman.

The film is an unconventional love story between two true individuals. Joel and Clementine are among the most compelling and touching couples featured in cinema. The film mixes reality with the fantastic.
The happy memories between Joel and Clementine are warmer than reality and blurred. They slowly slip away from him as he desperately clings to them. This scene is the one where we begin to see Clementine as more than a desperately eccentric woman. She laments her appearance and how ugly she thinks she is. This memory prompts Joel's battle with the memory-erasing team of Lacuna.
There is this great theatricality to the memory-erasing process. The lighting is particularly emphatic. I love the way it plays as a prison spotlight of sorts as Joel tries to escape the erasing process. He decides that he doesn't want Clementine erased, but it won't be easy to stop them.
Jim Carrey's Joel is a wonderful piece of acting. He is reserved, but his love for Clementine makes him bolder, decisive. He is protective of the happy memories that they share even as they distort before his very eyes as she did at the end of their relationship.
As is the case in films written by masterful screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, there is a vivacious sense of humor and creativity. The interweaving of Joel's memories is clever and cheeky. The use of old-fashioned special effects is also fun. The sequence in his mother's kitchen with Clementine as the babysitter is probably the funniest in the film.
I love the use of contrast throughout the film. I especially love this shot of his bed on a beach blanketed in snow.
The playfulness of Kaufman's writing paired with Gondry's directing eye is a joy to behold. The film is a technical perfection. I think the editing in particular is a standout. I really loved the costuming in the re-imagined memories as well.
I think that, while the sections of the film featuring the Lacuna staff are weaker, they provide some great moments of insight as well. One of my favorite performances in the film is that of Kirsten Dunst. She brings a hopeful longing to Mary and a tremendous amount of significant emotion as the film progresses. She's funny and wrenching.
The muted, blurred vibe of several shots is something that used quite effectively in this film. The final parting scene between Joel and Clementine is gorgeous. The gentle whisper of Clementine implores him to "Meet me in Montauk." The universe has to keep them together. We hope that they will find each other again.

Then the ending arrives and brings with the bravest two lovers put to film. They know that their past wasn't perfect, but they have the guts to give it another go. It's progressive and joyous. The optimism is staggering. I think this is one of the best films of the 00's and one of the best films ever. I strongly recommend it.