Here's a list of stuff (mostly recent) that I've watched once or many times over the last year or two and liked. Maybe you've seen them, maybe you haven't, but here's my take. I won't give too much away in case you haven't seen it, but I will tell you why I liked it.
Black Swan - Even if this movie had sucked, I would have loved it because Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are beautiful and I can stare at them all day. Add in the fact that this is a deeply complex movie with some seriously dark themes that are beautifully imagined on the screen, and top it off with a unique performance from Natalie Portman (you would think she's a ballerina, not an actress), and I'm not sure why this didn't win Best Picture. The music, the dancing, the story, the performance--a ridiculously well-crafted movie that leaves you thinking for a long while afterwards about the struggle of performance.
Also, there's a lesbian scene between the aforementioned ladies. So, yeah.
Toy Story 3 - Many call this the best of the Toy Story trilogy, and for good reason. For my money, the original is still my sentimental favorite, but Pixar really tied everything up expertly and did it in quite an emotional way in TS3. I'm not afraid to admit that the climax of the movie had me legitimately tearing up. But what a great way to wrap up a storyline and cast of characters that revolutionized the animated film landscape for the last 15 years, and likely much longer after this.
Bridesmaids - This movie has a strong argument for the best movie of 2011 thus far, not to mention the best comedy. I'm not one for chick flicks or femme-coms, and this movie breaks the mold. Kristen Wiig proves herself far too talented to be stuck on SNL every week--she is a joy to watch and effortlessly captures a tough character, reminding us all of someone in our circle of friends, our family, or maybe even our own selves, when we haven't been at our best. This movie is not "Hangover for Girls" as advertised: this movie has plot, character, and heart. It's a realistic, gritty, fun, and in many ways uncomfortable look at the pleasures and pains of getting older and moving on in our lives.
Kick Ass - I'll admit it--the premise looked shaky. Why do I want to watch a superhero movie about people who aren't superheroes? This movie of course has its flaws, but is laudable in its realistic take on superhero stories. The movie has the feel of a summer superhero movie, with strong comic relief, interesting characters working through their individual struggles and an easily hateable villain. But let's be clear--you want this movie for the action scenes. There is one scene in this movie--those who have seen it know what I'm talking about--that has to be in consideration for the best action scene ever captured on film. The combination of cinematography, choreography, accompanying score and gravity of the plot when the scene takes place is, simply put, transcendental. Better than any action scene I have ever witnessed. You have to see this movie, if only for that scene.
Crazy Stupid Love - Recently, TheWife and I were bemoaning the fact that no decent romantic comedy had been made since Love Actually. While we seemed to get strong rom-coms throughout the 90s with all the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant, and Julia Roberts pics, we've been noticeably bankrupt of any good romantic comedies for years. TheWife thought that Larry Crowne would be her answer. Well, even she thought it was bad, and she only cares to watch movies that rate below 40% on RottenTomatoes.com. However, we heard this one was good, so gave it a shot. Somewhat surprisingly, this is a refreshing, fun, and relatable story that gets you into the characters and has you rooting for everyone. Steve Carrell is his usual great self, and Ryan Gosling is quite great as well. While it doesn't rate anywhere in my top movies list, it is the best of its genre in quite some time.
Friday Night Lights (TV) - TheWife has christened this "The Best Drama on TV. Ever." While I'm not yet willing to go that far, this series is certainly in the discussion. Completely unlike the movie, FNL is purely character-based, with West Texas football madness a constant and palpable undercurrent throughout each season. There isn't an overdose of football, so the ladies can stomach it. There isn't an overdose of cheese, so the guys like it. And the characters are perhaps the most interesting group of characters assembled on a show in some time. Whether going through high school with the players, at home or on the field with the coach, or following the grads after they've left Dillon high, the show creates a dynamic interplay between the characters' priorities in life and their love for West Texas football, and how sometimes, the two become hopelessly intertwined and force both good decisions and bad on everyone's part.
The Wire (TV) - Everyone but TheWife has called this the best drama on TV, and it's hard to argue. While some of the seasons get away from the most central and interesting characters, largely, the series stays on point as it addresses the issues of race, corruption, politics, and the drug trade in Western Baltimore, and how every person involved, from the drug lords to the cops to the mayor, deal with tackling the issues. While slow to start and at times slow to develop, HBO has uniquely developed a set of characters whom we feel so close to, we know what they should do, but what they will do, and why they will do it. In addition, the series brings a realistic look to crime-fighting that most crime shows don't--how gridlock, red tape and a system devoid of accountability can tangibly impact what happens on our streets, usually for the worst.
Rescue Me (TV) - A salty, testosterone-filled (that sounds super gross) look at the lives of firemen on FDNY Truck 62 in the wake of 9/11. The central character, played by Denis Leary, is a textbook hero with monumental struggle, but with seriously unorthodox ways--for better and for worse--of envisioning his own struggle and attacking it. Not only does the show cleverly capture the camaraderie and ethical code between brothers on the same truck, but also deftly depicts how the life of a fireman translates to the home. This show is one of the main reasons to pay attention to all the other shows FX puts out.
Frasier (TV) - Ending on a lighter note here, Frasier has to be my favorite sitcom of all time. From Frasier's arrival in Seattle and his initially coarse relationship with his own father Martin, to Niles' struggles with his own marriage and his latent feelings for Daphne, to Frasier's never-ending quest to find "the one" and Roz's undying attempts to land just one, this show is filled with acerbic wit, humorous drama, and a cast of five characters who can't be more different but are constantly there for one another, whether or not they want to be. It's hard to imagine a show being better written than Frasier. Modern Family comes close, and for good reason--Christopher Lloyd, who writes and produces for Modern Family, did the same for Frasier! Gonna have to find more of his stuff.
Black Swan - Even if this movie had sucked, I would have loved it because Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are beautiful and I can stare at them all day. Add in the fact that this is a deeply complex movie with some seriously dark themes that are beautifully imagined on the screen, and top it off with a unique performance from Natalie Portman (you would think she's a ballerina, not an actress), and I'm not sure why this didn't win Best Picture. The music, the dancing, the story, the performance--a ridiculously well-crafted movie that leaves you thinking for a long while afterwards about the struggle of performance.
Also, there's a lesbian scene between the aforementioned ladies. So, yeah.
Toy Story 3 - Many call this the best of the Toy Story trilogy, and for good reason. For my money, the original is still my sentimental favorite, but Pixar really tied everything up expertly and did it in quite an emotional way in TS3. I'm not afraid to admit that the climax of the movie had me legitimately tearing up. But what a great way to wrap up a storyline and cast of characters that revolutionized the animated film landscape for the last 15 years, and likely much longer after this.
Bridesmaids - This movie has a strong argument for the best movie of 2011 thus far, not to mention the best comedy. I'm not one for chick flicks or femme-coms, and this movie breaks the mold. Kristen Wiig proves herself far too talented to be stuck on SNL every week--she is a joy to watch and effortlessly captures a tough character, reminding us all of someone in our circle of friends, our family, or maybe even our own selves, when we haven't been at our best. This movie is not "Hangover for Girls" as advertised: this movie has plot, character, and heart. It's a realistic, gritty, fun, and in many ways uncomfortable look at the pleasures and pains of getting older and moving on in our lives.
Kick Ass - I'll admit it--the premise looked shaky. Why do I want to watch a superhero movie about people who aren't superheroes? This movie of course has its flaws, but is laudable in its realistic take on superhero stories. The movie has the feel of a summer superhero movie, with strong comic relief, interesting characters working through their individual struggles and an easily hateable villain. But let's be clear--you want this movie for the action scenes. There is one scene in this movie--those who have seen it know what I'm talking about--that has to be in consideration for the best action scene ever captured on film. The combination of cinematography, choreography, accompanying score and gravity of the plot when the scene takes place is, simply put, transcendental. Better than any action scene I have ever witnessed. You have to see this movie, if only for that scene.
Crazy Stupid Love - Recently, TheWife and I were bemoaning the fact that no decent romantic comedy had been made since Love Actually. While we seemed to get strong rom-coms throughout the 90s with all the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant, and Julia Roberts pics, we've been noticeably bankrupt of any good romantic comedies for years. TheWife thought that Larry Crowne would be her answer. Well, even she thought it was bad, and she only cares to watch movies that rate below 40% on RottenTomatoes.com. However, we heard this one was good, so gave it a shot. Somewhat surprisingly, this is a refreshing, fun, and relatable story that gets you into the characters and has you rooting for everyone. Steve Carrell is his usual great self, and Ryan Gosling is quite great as well. While it doesn't rate anywhere in my top movies list, it is the best of its genre in quite some time.
Friday Night Lights (TV) - TheWife has christened this "The Best Drama on TV. Ever." While I'm not yet willing to go that far, this series is certainly in the discussion. Completely unlike the movie, FNL is purely character-based, with West Texas football madness a constant and palpable undercurrent throughout each season. There isn't an overdose of football, so the ladies can stomach it. There isn't an overdose of cheese, so the guys like it. And the characters are perhaps the most interesting group of characters assembled on a show in some time. Whether going through high school with the players, at home or on the field with the coach, or following the grads after they've left Dillon high, the show creates a dynamic interplay between the characters' priorities in life and their love for West Texas football, and how sometimes, the two become hopelessly intertwined and force both good decisions and bad on everyone's part.
The Wire (TV) - Everyone but TheWife has called this the best drama on TV, and it's hard to argue. While some of the seasons get away from the most central and interesting characters, largely, the series stays on point as it addresses the issues of race, corruption, politics, and the drug trade in Western Baltimore, and how every person involved, from the drug lords to the cops to the mayor, deal with tackling the issues. While slow to start and at times slow to develop, HBO has uniquely developed a set of characters whom we feel so close to, we know what they should do, but what they will do, and why they will do it. In addition, the series brings a realistic look to crime-fighting that most crime shows don't--how gridlock, red tape and a system devoid of accountability can tangibly impact what happens on our streets, usually for the worst.
Rescue Me (TV) - A salty, testosterone-filled (that sounds super gross) look at the lives of firemen on FDNY Truck 62 in the wake of 9/11. The central character, played by Denis Leary, is a textbook hero with monumental struggle, but with seriously unorthodox ways--for better and for worse--of envisioning his own struggle and attacking it. Not only does the show cleverly capture the camaraderie and ethical code between brothers on the same truck, but also deftly depicts how the life of a fireman translates to the home. This show is one of the main reasons to pay attention to all the other shows FX puts out.
Frasier (TV) - Ending on a lighter note here, Frasier has to be my favorite sitcom of all time. From Frasier's arrival in Seattle and his initially coarse relationship with his own father Martin, to Niles' struggles with his own marriage and his latent feelings for Daphne, to Frasier's never-ending quest to find "the one" and Roz's undying attempts to land just one, this show is filled with acerbic wit, humorous drama, and a cast of five characters who can't be more different but are constantly there for one another, whether or not they want to be. It's hard to imagine a show being better written than Frasier. Modern Family comes close, and for good reason--Christopher Lloyd, who writes and produces for Modern Family, did the same for Frasier! Gonna have to find more of his stuff.
