Saturday, October 16, 2010

LET ME IN

Directed by: Matt Reeves (Cloverfield)
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz
Review by: Sherri
This film is a SHOT for SHOT re-make of the 2008 Swedish film Let The Right One In (Which neither of us have seen....yet.) which was directed by Tomas Alfredsen, and the original movie was based on the book of the same title, written by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
All I can say about this film is WOW! It was great. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz were terrific actors, and the story was fantastic! It was everything a vampire movie should be, and definitely didn't leave you with any "warm fuzzy/grotesquely gushy" feelings at the end. Moretz made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She was ultimately creepy. Definitely a new favorite of mine from this year!!!

BONUS TIDBIT OF INFORMATION!
I kept commenting to Nate that the score of the movie was amazing...and come to find out that the music was written by none other that Michael Giacchino, who also wrote the music for LOST. We also saw a previous LOST star in this movie, and he was also terrific, Dylan Minnette, who played Jack's son David in Season 6.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Nate's Favorite films..and therefore the BEST films of the last decade

1. Punch Drunk Love: the most complete movie of the decade, it artfully balances all of the elements a film should have.



2. There will Be Blood: No one makes epic movies anymore. Paul Thomas Anderson is genius.



3. Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind: How could this not make it in anyone's top ten of the decade?


4. Dogville: I would not recommend this movie to anyone. Then again, I wouldn't recommend any Lars Von Trier. I have never been so sucked into a movie like I was in this one.


5. No Country for Old Men: The greates villain of the decade, and the un-matched dark comedy of the Coen Brothers.



6. Wall-E: The first 30 minutes are the best in film history.


7. 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days: No guns, no bombs, no special effects of imminent threat of death, but I have never felt so much tension from a film.


8. Before Sunset: The dialouge is great, the acting is great, the characters are so real. One of the only romantic movies that I can stomach. A rare sequel that is better than the first.


9. The Bourne Identity: Jason Bourne could kill anyone. Even Superman.


10. Cache: Michael Haneke is the master of ambiguity.



11. Knocked Up: The best Apatow and Rogen film. Their comedy defined the decade.


12. Finding Nemo: Thanks to my son, I have seen this show dozens of times but I've never been bored.


13. The Hurt Locker: Jeremy Renner is a man crush of mine, one of my all time favorite endings.



14. Memento: It has to be seen to be believed. Nolan keeps trying to make this film. My question is: How can it be matched?


15. Old Boy: Some of the coolest fight scenes of the decade. Maybe the best anti-hero of the decade.


16. Dancer in the Dark: Bjork plays Jesus. One of the least re-watchable films of all time, but only because it sticks with you long after watching it.



17. Unbreakable: M Knight Shymalan had only one great film. And it wasn't the Sixth Sense.


18. 28 Days Later: The best zombie film of all time. Amazing sound track to boot.



19. Adaptation: I know there are people that hate this movie. But it is for all the wrong reasons.

20. Kill Bill 1 and 2: My favorite is the first, but it wouldn't feel right to separate them. I could watch the crazy 88 fight scene until Uma Thurman rips my eyes out.




21. Elephant: completely unbiased look, in every way, about youth violence. The long takes are so moving.


22. The Departed: Now when I watch it, I keep thinking of Marc Wahlberg saying "Say hello to your mother for me"


23. Children of Men: I was so happy to see this in theaters. What an experience. The war scene at the apartment complex is one of the best of all time.


24. Shaun of the Dead: The second best zombie film of all time. Puts Zombieland to shame.


25. Sunshine: Danny Boyle made the best zombie film of the decade, and the best sci-fi one too.


26. The Lives of Others: If you see only one foreign film from this decade, see this one.


27. Man on Wire: The biggest flaw with this list is that I don't watch many documentaries. But this film was really fun.


28. Inglorious Basterds: Tarentino v. Hitler, and guess who wins? The second best villain of the decade.


29. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: I haven't seen this since it opened in theaters. I just remember it being so damn cool!!


30. Drag Me to Hell: I don't know if this would make anyones top 100, let alone, top 30. But I just love B movies so much. When they're done right...or wrong.


31. The Dark Knight: A notice to all fan-boys: This isn't the greatest film of al time. But it is pretty awesome.


32. Traffic: Along with requiem for a dream, this film makes me want to avoid drugs.


33. Amelie: This movie was so darned cute.


34. Napoleon Dynamite: I don't care if you think this film is dated or over-quoted. You know you used to love it.


35. Brick: Highschool film noir. Ryan Johnson can sure right the dialouge for it. And Josephe Gordon Leavitt cans sure play the protagonist for it.


36. Donnie Darko: One of the most re-watchable films of the decade.


37. Almost Famous: Hold me closer Tiny Dancer


38. A. I. : its been a while since I've seen this show, so it might be lower, I just remember really liking it.


39. The New World: Terrance Malick knows, more than anyone, how to make a beautiful film.


40. A History of Violence: I hated this movie the first time I saw it, but it took me watchiing other Cronenberg movies to really appreciate it.


41. Mullholland Drive: Naomi Watts probably gives the best female preformance of the decade. Warning to the ignorant: all David Lynch films are weird.


42. American Psycho: I don't know why I have this on my list. But I just can't stop thinking about it.


43. The Squid and the Whale: I thought I would hate this, I thought it would be another cute indie film. It wasn't.


44. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: The world loves Harry Potter, but it took me over a decade to find out why.

45. Iron Man: Robert Downy Jr. is the best superhero of the decade.


46. Bruno: Better than Borat. I'm Sorry.


47. Distric 9: Gets better with repeated viewings. The second best sci-fi of the decade.


48. Mean Girls: The rightful heir to the greatness that was Clueless.


49. The Mist: Steven King. Frank Darabonte. B Movie. Enough said.


50. Spiderman 2: I love Sam Raimi and I felt he needed 2 movies in my top 50.




HONORABLE MENTIONS:


the Lord of the Rings, Return of the King

Ratatouille

Chop Shop

Grizzly Man

Minority Report

Michael Clayton

Gone Baby Gone

Best in Show

40 Year-old Virgin

Anchorman
Funny Games

Ocean's 11

Planet Terror

O Brother, Where art Thou

The Prestige