Top 26* Films of 2009

As I did last year on my old blog, I've decided to compile a list of what I thought were the top 20 films of 2009.  This year I'm also including 3 slots for foreign language films and 3 slots for documentary films, bringing my best of list to a grand total of 26 films.  Please note that these are simply my own opinions based on what I've seen in theaters over the course of the year, by no means is this list absolute or definitive.  You'll probably agree with some of my choices, disagree with others, and some selections may even leave you scratching your head saying "what the heck is that?" If a film is left off the list, it either means I didn't see it yet (The Lovely Bones, The Messenger, or The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus being three award-nominated examples that I've so far been unable to see) or didn't deem it one of the 20 best I saw that year (a prime example here being Transformers 2: Revenge of Michael Bay's Ego, or whatever that waste of 2 hours was titled).  So here we go, counting down...

20. Moon
Very few people got a chance to see this little film theatrically, I only caught it myself at an out-of-the-way theater in Burbank because I really wanted to.  Poor marketing aside, it's a fascinating study in solitary confinement and a tremendous acting effort by Sam Rockwell, who literally is the only human on screen for over 90% of the film.  The story of an astronaut sent into space to oversee a mining operation on the surface of the moon, our protagonist has only his thoughts to keep him company... that, and a talking robot voiced by Kevin Spacey.  With references to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, and other films in the genre, this film succeeds in a very subtle way as it causes us to grow comfortable around our solitary spaceman and ponder his isolation with him.  Too much language to consider it family viewing, but worth a watch for the discerning viewer, it's a "thinking man's sci-fi".  

19. Zombieland
I usually hate horror films that dwell on gore and guts, and in particular steer clear of anything labeled "zombies" most of the time.  What made this film work however was the brilliant screenplay and sharp sense of humor.  It earns its R rating with language and comic violence, but watching Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson hunt zombies may have been my most guilty pleasure at the box office this past year.  It certainly didn't hurt either that Bill Murray's cameo playing himself  became one of the funniest segments of any film in recent memory.  All in all, a campy fun time at the movies, and a briskly told screenplay.

18. A Serious Man  
The Coen brothers have done it again with their most personal film to date.  I've had more conversations regarding this film than almost any other movie this year, and it's sure to elicit a variety of emotions from viewers upon first screening.  I for one loved it, and repeat viewings only unlock deeper levels and more complex layers to be in awe of.  NOTHING is ever wasted in a Coen film, everything serves its purpose perfectly, and this dark comedy about a Jewish husband and father who only wants to be taken seriously is one of their best yet.  A pitch-perfect cast of mostly unknowns headed up by Michael Stuhlbarg, plus a repetitive use of Jefferson Airplane's "Don't You Want Somebody To Love" make this one hard to forget.

17. In The Loop
I haven't laughed this hard at a screenplay since I can't remember when.  Easily one of the mostly tightly and slyly crafted scripts in years, this indie film flew mostly under the radar, but there were enough who recognized it's greatness as it awoke on Oscar nomination morning to find itself scoring a nod for best original screenplay.  Cautiously recommended due to language (which is rather unfortunate considering just how laugh-out-loud funny this film's dialogue is), In The Loop managed to take everything we know about talking heads, politics, cable news, and broadcast journalism and flip them all on their head for a rather irreverent and hilarious look at it all.  Highly recommended for the member of the family with the most impressive vocabulary and wicked sense of wit.

16. Crazy Heart
Who knew Colin Farrell could sing country music so convincingly?  Working with a bare bones screenplay that smacks of other films that came before it (Tender Mercies, The Wrestler, The Long Weekend), Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart comes alive in the capable hands of leading man Jeff Bridges.  I thought earlier in the year when I heard Morgan Freeman was paying Nelson Mandela in Invictus that it would seal the deal on the best actor race, but I gotta hand it to 'ole Jeff:  He nailed the oft-cliched role of a washed-up country singer and breathed life into it.  A handful of tunes by music icon T-Bone Burnett only elevated this film to a whole new level, and essentially did for country music what O Brother, Where Art Thou? did for folk and bluegrass.  I didn't really care much for Maggie Gyllenhaal truth be told, but Bridges, Farrell, and the always great Robert Duvall made up the difference nicely.  

15. Avatar
Why so low on my list?  You should be asking how did it get so high on my list.  Here's the deal: Avatar sucked from a storytelling point of view.  The characters were one dimensional at best, the pathos never hooked me, and the ethos I flat out found insulting at times.  The good part about the film?  The special effects.  I will admit that watching Avatar in 3D was probably the most visually impressive thing I've seen ever projected on a big screen.  It was like I've been watching films with one eye closed my whole life, and suddenly now both eyes were opened and a whole new layer of depth and dimension was opened to me, it was truly phenomenal.  But unlike a well told story with good effects (think Lord of the Rings), a rather overused and crappy screenplay with all the special effects in the world can't elevate it to greatness.  Story is everything, and Avatar badly needed to learn that lesson about 14 years ago when it started it's developmental stages.  Pretty to look at though.  =)

14. Public Enemies
I'm not a huge fan of Johnny Depp, probably because the characters he portrays are usually a bit too far-out and inaccessible for me.  This film however, made me a fan.  His tough-around-the-edges take on John Dillinger was spot on for Michael Mann's period ode to the early crime waves of 1930s America, and the supporting cast was brilliant as well: Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, and Billy Crudup just to name a few in a very deep roster.  Crudup's J. Edgar Hoover was especially good, and the gritty use of digital filmmaking seen here actually in some ways made the film more accessible even if it lost some of "that magical film look" due to it.  This one really pops out on BluRay because of it, and it's a shame that it's early release date made it more of a summer film for adults than a serious awards contender.      

13. Star Trek
J.J. Abrams has an impressive resume: creating such TV hits as Alias, Lost, and Fringe, helping launch the success of Cloverfield, and now breathing new life into franchises such as Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.  While some fans of the original may have felt his tampering with their universe was a bit too personal, I loved it.  Easily one of the best summer films in recent memory, and the cast was well chosen to carve out new ground for themselves while still paying respects to their predecessors.  Watching this film in IMAX only intensified the epic space opera that it was, and when the Enterprise jumped to warp speed for the first time, it was all the audience could do to hold on for dear life and enjoy the adventure every step of the way.  This is blockbuster entertainment at it's best.

12. Sherlock Holmes
If Star Trek represented the best summer blockbuster, then (Avatar notwithstanding) Sherlock Holmes was easily the best holiday blockbuster.  The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law was nearly flawless, and Guy Ritchie's direction was equal parts as harshly gritty as it was delightfully witty.  Scenes where the good detective would mentally think through each move of his fights before executing them made for some very creative adaptations of the classic Holmes character, and the production design, music, and screenplay all ushered the audience along on what became a very enjoyable thrill ride with some thought put into it.  If there was ever a sequel waiting to be made, it's for this film right here.

11. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson meets stop-motion animation.  Sounds cool on paper, looked even better on film.  Anderson was able to integrate his keen dialogue and sense of character into a whole new storytelling medium and make one of the best animated films of the year.  Delightfully done with all the wit and charm one expects from an Anderson film, this one is also a purely visual feast for the eyes when one takes the time to consider the huge labor of love that stop-motion animation is.  Everything in the frame is made by hand, and the animation itself is lovingly and patiently created one frame at a time by moving the puppets just a fraction of a degree between each photograph.  The original Roald Dahl source material was respectfully blended with Anderson's vision, and the result was pure cinematic pleasure on the big screen.

10. The Soloist
A super early release date means that most have already forgotten about this film, but the latest directorial effort by Joe Wright made one of the better films to be inspired by a true story to meet cinemas this year.  Lovingly acted with intensity and depth by both Jamie Foxx and Robet Downey Jr., the true story of street musician Nathaniel Ayers, his troubled past and his unique relationship with LA Times writer Steve Lopez was truly heartwarming.  The message of friendship and of looking out for one's neighbor in need is one I certainly welcome, and the unique blend of the LA streets with the world of classical music made it one of the more colorful films of 2009.  A potential tear-jerker, this one will move you to embrace the power of art and the bond of friendship.

9. Inglourious Basterds
I normally consider Quentin Tarantino to be the most overrated filmmaker of our times, but he made what may be his best film yet and even won me over with his intentionally revisionist take on WW2 history.  From the opening scene involving a very cat-and-mouse dialogue between a farmer hiding Jews beneath the floorboards of his house and the evil Captain Hans Linda of the SS, I was hooked.  It's not often you see a WW2 film where you honestly don't know the ending, and that alone made it exciting.  Add in Tarantino's flair for sharp direction and crisp editing mixed with fully developed characters and an exciting score peppered with classic melodies and you end up with one strangely moving film that wins you over.  Heck, even if Brad Pitt and the Basterds weren't in more than one third of the film, it was still pretty darn good and exciting.

8. District 9
Regardless of the comparative lack of special effects and box office dollars, this film succeeded where Avatar failed.  District 9 took a familiar story and historical incident (apartheid in South Africa) and turned it into a sci-fi analogy for tolerance and understanding.  Whereas Avatar had simply characters with little depth, District 9 made us feel real emotions for it's alien characters AND human antagonizers at the same time.  It's unique style of using mostly doctored news footage and documentary hand-held camera shots to tell it's fast-paced story made up for the lack of 3D wizardry that gave Avatar it's huge edge, and in the end, I actually think this film was the far more deserving of it's best picture nod than Avatar was.  Look at the whole puzzle and when you see how well the pieces all fit together, I think you'll agree it's the better crafted and strongly centered of the two.

7. The Princess and the Frog
Disney's return to traditional "2D" hand drawn animation was a very triumphant one in my opinion, it was a nostalgic throw-back to the Disney films of the early 90s that I grew up on, films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast.  These films all had whimsical and colorful characters filled with life and told their stories over the course of numerous musical numbers all meant to explore the unique blending of cultures from a certain part of the world (this one really capitalizing on the Jazz, Zydeco, and Soulful scene of New Orleans and the delta bayous of Louisiana.)  The music is catchy, the story is touching, and the magic is back just like you'd expect from the house that Walt built.

6. Up In The Air
A lot of people considered this to be Clooney's best work in a long, long time, and I have to agree.  In many ways Hollywood's favorite bachelor is perfectly suited to play a suave older businessman who refuses to be tied down with the weight of any real relationships.  The subtle touches and humorous moments that director Jason Reitman give this somewhat serious drama about the downsizing in today's economic climate really made this film stand out and well rounded and tightly crafted.  Watching Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick walk away with equally good supporting turns didn't hurt either, and in the end the film ends up being a uniquely quirky examination of the need for real relationships.  Life's better with people, and this film shows that in a darkly humorous and real way.

5. Invictus
When I heard that Clint Eastwood was going to direct Morgan Freeman in a Nelson Mandela biopic I was already a fan.  I happen to love virtually anything these two put out separately, and on the rare occasion where they team forces (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby), the result is usually pitch perfect.  This time Clint works behind the camera exclusively, letting Freeman completely run the show and giving him a young Matt Damon to play against for extra depth.  The result, in my opinion, was an understated portrait of a staggering man, something that only Clint Eastwood could and would pull off in such a manner.  Everything about this film is simple and stripped clean of most dramatic urges and flourishes that many directors overlay them with, and it's that simplicity that make the film click.  Eastwood has never wasted any time getting to the heart of his stories, and where he was also extra smart here was to not tackle the entire life of Mandela, but give us a special snapshot into his presidency when the hopes and fears of a nation played out symbolically through a rugby team in the 1995 world cup.  Through such a narrow window we get a clear picture of what's really important here, and the message of forgiveness and reconciliation has never been more desperately needed than today.

4. The Blind Side
Some called it sappy, some called it racist (which I laughed at, how could this film possibly be racist?), some thought it was pretty cheesy.  America thought it was the best movie to come along in some time, and it truly became this year's feel-good film.  I'll readily admit, when I hear friends from church talk about how good a film is, I usually groan a little inwardly, expecting the film to have honest and good intentions but more often than not violate good artistic principles and common sense methods of storytelling (show, don't tell).  So consider it ironic that I never saw a film titled The Blind Side coming at me, and it hit me full on with it's message and story, which is as true and touching as any I've heard in some time.  And to those critics who say it's too inspirational or too "feel-good", I simply ask, is that a bad thing?  In a time of economic hardships and during a thanksgiving season where many families came closer than ever to truly experiencing the humility and desperation exhibited by the pilgrims in their first thanksgiving, this film stuck a chord with audiences.  The story of a poor child on the streets taken in by a kind family and given opportunities to succeed gave a whole new definition to "loving thy neighbor" and what it means to truly adopt someone into your family and care for them as if they were your own.  

3. The Young Victoria
I love this movie.  I love everything about it.  The costumes, the acting, the screenplay, the sets, the PG rating, the romance... when's the last time you saw a love story that was more passionate than any you've seen in some time, and it was that way without showing any skin or conjuring up any fake scenarios?  In a day and age when people are more cynical about love and marriage than ever before, the true story about the love between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria is such a bright beacon of hope to gather around.  This isn't some sexed-up Hollywood romance, this is history told in all of it's grand sweeping emotion, and Emily Blunt has never exhibited such grace and range in any of her previous work, make no mistake about it, she'll go far.  I took my 77 year old grandmother to see this film and she adored it, do you know how rarely that happens these days?  And this isn't a boring film for old folks either, it has all the intensity and color one would expect from any period piece worth it's salt, and I can't recommend it enough on all accounts.  We need more love stories like this, that celebrate marriage and treat their characters as real individuals, not objects to be glorified.

2. The Hurt Locker
This years Best Picture winner contained more suspense than an entire platoon of war films, and told a story that smartly focused on it's soldier protagonists and didn't spend it's time trying to please a right-wing or left-wing political agenda.  It's a briskly told thriller that examines the war on terror through the eyes of one who has truly lived it: members of the high-risk E.O.D. unit, responsible for detonating road-side bombs in Iraq left behind by insurgents.  These guys eat danger for breakfast, every time they go out and suit up, it's life or death, and Kathryn Bigelow's masterful direction captures both the psyche of these soldiers as well as the suspenseful moments where their lives hang in the balance.  It truly deserved Best Picture, and I thought it was one of the best told stories I've seen on modern day warfare in some time, easily the best of the bunch in the recent boom of "Iraq war films", most of which are too preachy and too biased to sit through.  The Hurt Locker grabs you from the first frame and doesn't let go until the credits roll.        

1. Up
Yep, I think Up was the best film of 2009.  I seriously think the directors walked into a room full of animators and basically said in so many words, "Ok guys here's the deal: we want the audience crying in 10 minutes.... oh, and don't use words."  The grasp that the folks at Pixar have on the ability to tell a moving and meaningful story visually through images is phenomenal, and really ought to put most of their live action dramatic contemporaries to shame.  There's more rich emotional development imbued into the character of Ellie, Carl's late wife who's already dead less than 10 minutes into the film, than any character that inhabits the world of Avatar on the planet Pandora.  Seriously, anytime you find yourself experiencing the level of emotion that Up evoked in a "normal" film it's special enough, but for a so called kids movie told with animation to reach these levels was truly amazing.  The haunting images of Carl pulling his house on his back, juxtaposed with the playful developments of reluctant wilderness explorer Russel and talking dog Dug made this a film that worked for all audience of all ages on multiple levels.  That right there is reason enough to rank it at #1.


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So there you have it, my top 20 for the year.  If you're not satisfied with this "mainstream list" however, and want to dive deeper into some more unique niches of the film community, then check out what I'll call my "other 6" top films, all of which are either documentaries or foreign language films, two categories that usually contain some of the more obscure gems to be released, films which yield to the patient viewer much more than most expect.  I'll start with the foreign language stuff:

3. Ponyo
This animated tale comes from the brush of legendary director/animator Hayao Miyazaki, an academy award winner for 2001's Spirited Away, and a man many consider to be the greatest living animator, second only to the late great Walt Disney.  This story, loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson's original Little Mermaid story, explores the relationship between Sosuke, a young boy, and Ponyo, the female goldfish-turned-human that he rescues from the ocean.  Bright colors, simple hand-drawn animation, and very simply storytelling make this a film for children certainly, but it's also got some lovely lessons for adults and some pretty well developed characters in the form of Sosuke's Mom and the old women who live at the local nursing home.  Not for everyone, but for those willing to give it a shot, Ponyo is a delight.  I literally saw this movie hours after I had just been let go from the best and only job I'd had in over 6 months, so this film holds a special place in my heart for helping me temporarily escape the stress of it all and just revert to a few hours of childlike fascination once again.  The version released domestically in the states by Disney has an English language track featuring stars such as Tina Fey, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, and more; but I for one recommend the original Japanese language track as I feel it more closely captures the original emotion and heart of the story.

2. Departures
This film, also from Japan, won the oscar at the 2009 academy awards as the best foreign language film of 2008, but it didn't see any American distribution until 2009, so I consider it a release for this year in many ways.  It's not hard to see why it won best foreign language film either, as it's easily one of the most poignant films to have come along in recent memory.  It's the story of a cellist let go from his orchestra, and in his struggle to find a new job, takes an ad in the paper labeled "Departures" thinking it will be work with a travel agency.  He finds instead that it's actually a position as an encoffiner, preparing dead bodies for their departure from this life to the next.  The philosophical musings on death and what it means to different families of the deceased, as well as subplots involving the cellists relationships with his wife and with his father, all collide to make a very moving portrait of life that beautifully examines what it means to live and to love.  The use of seasons to symbolize the passage of time and the further maturing of our protagonist, as well as the repetitive use of some lovely cello pieces, will certainly steal your heart and win you over.

1. Red Cliff
This film is Chinese (I know what you're thinking: goodness Ben, you only watch foreign films from Asia or something? haha), and directed by action master John Woo.  Here he really takes on history and legend and epic filmmaking all at once to recreate and tell the battle of Red Cliff, one of the most famous  stories from early Chinese military history, 208 AD to be precise.  Utilizing the genre conventions of many martial arts movies (flying swords and sweeping hand-to-hand combat), Red Cliff still manages to stay loosely grounded enough in real time and space to be enjoyable to even the casual viewer.  It should be noted that the version released in America is a 2 hour 40 minute film, and while it's good and will get the point across, the actual film in China was cut into two pieces as it clocked in at an impressive 4 hours and 48 minutes, and was released as not one but two films, Red Cliff Part 1 and Red Cliff Part 2. That international "directors cut" is available on BluRay and DVD, and highly recommended if you want the whole story.  The battle scenes are beyond epic, and surprisingly for the type of film, the characters are given a pretty good multi-dimensional treatment that makes them much more real that you'd expect.  After watching the whole thing, you'll feel like you've been on an entire military campaign with the generals featured therein.

And now for the documentaries....

3. The Cove
One of the most entertaining (if that's the right word) documentaries to come along in some time, this film about the dolphin slaughter taking place in Japan is part environmental call-to-arms, part Ocean's eleven thriller.  That's because the whole film is told by way of a framework that presents the operation as an undercover mission, and it totally was: the filmmakers had to sneak in under cover of darkness using highly sensitive thermal and night-vision cameras to plant their respective eyes and ears around the cove in question and properly capture the footage of what was really happening to these animals.  As one reviewer noted, "it's Flipper meets The Bourne Identity".  I'm not usually an animal rights activist kinda guy (which isn't to say I don't care, just that I don't care enough to elevate the lives of animals over that of humans for starters), but this film really won me over.  Whether you agree with all the views expressed within or not, one things for sure, you'll not be disappointed with the way the documentary unfolds in a suspenseful manner.

2. Burma VJ
This documentary was also nominated for Best Documentary and lost to The Cove at the Oscars, which is a real shame because as good as The Cove was, I find the subject of Burma VJ to be much more important than dolphin slaughter: the oppression of an entire nation by a cruel military regime that rules by fear and thuggery, striking out against any displays of resistance or free speech.  Burma VJ captures the few weeks in 2007 when the Buddhist monks of Burma led an uprising against the military junta that runs the country, and when one realizes that the images presented in this documentary were obtained at the risk of the camera-man's life and freedom, the film takes on a greater weight.  It's not often you feel like you're literally watching history unfold live before you, but Burma VJ does just that and does it in a way that raises awareness over an issue that has yet to be resolved and deserves more attention.  It's illegal to film things in Burma, especially demonstrations or protests against the government, and so in many ways it's remarkable that this film even exists in the first place.  Worth watching on an empty stomach and with a desire to learn and be challenged.

1. Walt & El Grupo
The work of filmmaker Theodore Thomas, son of legendary Disney animator Frank Thomas and director of previous films about Disney such as Frank & Ollie, this one is unique in it's scope:  The film examines that period of Walt's career when he was sent by the US government to south america to help strengthen diplomatic ties in the wake of WW2 and Nazi infusion into places such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, etc.  From these goodwill trips came the two films Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, animated classics that explored the culture and history of our south and latin american friends.  Through mostly photographs and interviews, along with some old 16mm footage, Thomas has given us a vibrant record of that trip and what it meant to Walt and did for his career.  The film creates a great sense of mood and nostalgia, and there's one scene in particular where it literally goes from being a documentary to more of a "nonfiction cinema" piece, creating in the viewer a sense of longing to return to the way things were in a world long gone and faded, now only a memory from long ago.  It's a true testimony that a film about a time period made long before I was ever born could make me feel nostalgic for that period, and the creativity and love on display here as Thomas follows Walt and his father's pilgrimage through South America is quite moving.  Playing with old photographs and manipulating them in different planes and fields of view give the film a extra boost and elevate it beyond a tired PBS style documentary and instead into a real sentimental work of art.  For whatever reason, this film moved me so much that I was tempted to list it as my number one film of the year, but since it's quite literally been seen by only a couple hundred people fortunate enough to know about it's existence, I gave it it's own unique category to inhabit.  I do hope it gets a limited release elsewhere and a life on DVD in the near future, because it's a really charming picture of Walt Disney and a very unique look into the man behind the myth that I think everyone who loves film, history, culture, and animation ought to see.

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So yeah, that's pretty much my top 26 films for the year, check for them wherever you look for good movies (Blockbuster, RedBox, Netflix), you're bound to discover some great films for the first time if you take my word for it.  Enjoy!  and let me know what you think! Comments are always welcome! =)

Oscar Predictions

So it's that time of year again.  Time to turn the collective attention of the film industry to the stage of the Kodak theater in Hollywood for a night of awards.  Only these aren't just any awards, given out by some group of film critics or an association of foreign journalists.  No, these are the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.  Simply put, it's the most prestigious award you can earn working in Hollywood, and every year the story behind the Oscars is almost as fascinating as the awards themselves.  Like a page from a film noir script, each year sees shady politics and backroom deals (or so the losers claim) influence the voting of Academy members.  Some years, the Oscars are incredibly hard to predict.  Other years, everyone seems to know whose name will be called from the podium before the envelope is even opened.  I've met people who love the awards and the organization which hosts them, and others who turn up their noses and sneer at what they consider a rigged popularity contest.  Call me a romantic idealist (and if I truly am, then frankly I probably have no business working in Hollywood), but I tend to fall into the category that actually enjoys the Oscars.  I know not every campaign is clean, and not every award is given to those who truly deserve it, but I tend to turn a blind (or ignorant) eye to much of the distasteful proceedings and instead try to focus on the celebration of artistic excellence that I feel the spirit of the Oscars should embody.  So with that in mind, let's take a look at this years nominees and try to navigate the field of options to determine who derserves to stand atop the stage on Sunday night, March 7th.

Best Picture
First, this year features a decidedly different Best Picture race.  Instead of the usual 5 nominees, this year the ballot was expanded to include 10 nominees, giving voters twice as many options for which film ought to be crowned Best Picture of the year.  Partly a throwback to the history of the Oscars (at this years ceremonies, they're celebrating the 70th anniversary of 1939 - "Hollywood's Greatest Year" which included 10 best picture nominees), partly a ploy to draw a larger TV audience, the decision to nominate 10 films has met with some confusion and resistance.  Many have argued that while 1939 may have been Hollywood's Greatest Year - a year which produced such greats as Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and Stagecoach among others, you can hardly make that claim for 2009 (the calendar year in film that's being awarded in this 2010 ceremony).  Many critics even scoffed that finding 10 films that could be considered "Best Picture" material would be an impossible task.  I'll have a seperate blog post in the coming days ahead to highlight what I personally thought were the top 20 films of 2009, but for now, let's just look at those which the Academy has chosen to recognize.  The 10 nominees for Best Picture are: The Hurt Locker, Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, Up in the Air, District 9, A Serious Man, Up, An Education, & The Blind Side.  

Upon closer review, the first 5 films in that list also nabbed the 5 slots for Best Director nominations, meaning that essentially, we have a two-tiered best picture field.  5 of the films nominated aren't really realistic threats to win the big award itself, they're simply there to gratefully accept their nomination, draw a TV audience, and create discussion.  Examining those first, we have District 9, a very creative science fiction film probably nominated for it's surprising performance at the box office and winning combination of substantial story + special effects (a lesson Avatar never learn).  It's chances of being crowned top film are slim, but it should excite fans of the sci-fi genre and get a lot of fan boys to tune in for the awards broadcast.  A Serious Man is a Coen brothers film, and their unique blend of translating worldviews visually through storytelling as well as their sharp mind for dialogue and characters is to be greatly admired, even if the worldview in question is one I find utterly bankrupt (indeed, I found this film to be one of the most "post-viewing-discussion-inducing" experiences of the year, and it is not one for the casual viewer to ponder).  As good as it is though, it may have been too cerebral for voters to really embrace, and plus the Coens have won recently for their dark American dystopian masterwork No Country For Old Men.  Up may be quite frankly the best picture of the year, I personally thought so and found it to be one of the most emotionally moving films ever committed to the screen usuing the storytelling tool of animation, but sadly the animation bias will work against it and it will be relegated to it's own category of Best Animated Feature which it should sweep with little competition from other nominees.  An Education, while full of terrific acting performnces spearheaded by English newcomer Carey Mulligan, is essentially ushered into the fold of 10 films simply for that reason: because it was an acting showcase; and besides, there are much better films in contention for it to seriously be considered for the win.  And as much as I loved The Blind Side and it's terrific message, it's chances to win Best Picture are slim. I have a hunch that as much as I hate to admit it, the film was nominated as a strategic move to get those areas of the country Hollywood shuns - the red states, the deep south, the "flyover states", the heartland... all those places that fully embraced the values and story of The Blind Side and made it into the suprise box office hit that it became - to simply tune in to the broadcast and give them a horse to root for.  It's not a bad film at all, but it's simply not a film that Hollywood will ever allow to win Best Picture in this field of 10.

So who are the real contenders for Best Picture?  Those would be the top 5 films mentioned in the above lineup, and I believe in that order too.  All five of these films got their directors nominated as well, in a year of only 5 Best Picture nominees, these would have been the ones.  Working backwards from number 5, we have Up In the Air, the latest effort from writer/director Jason Reitman.  While showing a lot of potential, I think the Academy will let Reitman simmer for a few more years before they award him a Best Picture Oscar, although he has made arguably his best film to date here, and quite possibly the most timely film to be released amidst the economic turbulence of 2009.  In fact, it could be that this was both the films greatest strength and greatest weakness.  It resonated so well with it's depiction of today's headlines, but it also made it a rather unsettling film that hit too close to home for some, and humor notwithstanding, it's charms couldn't help it escape the fact that this story and material was a bit too real and not entertaining enough for some viewers.  Its tough to enjoy a film about being let go when many filmgoers had experienced just that within the past year.  Next up is Precious, a film I personally found next to zero entertainment value in, and for all the talk of hope and joy and redemption, I left the theater feeling like I just paid money to be domestically violated.  I know some of that was probably director Lee Daniels intention, but I left the film more than a bit disturbed.  It did get the editing nomination that Up in the Air did not, so it lands slightly ahead of the curve on it's best picture chances (Insider tip: almost all the true Best Picture contenders get a editing nomination... check the records), but I don't think it really will win the big one.  At spot number 3 by my count, we have Quentin Tarrentino's Inglourious Basterds, a film which is arguably his best work since Pulp Fiction if not even better.  I'm one of those people who consider Tarrentino to be incredibly overrated, but even I enjoyed Basterds.  It's his most mature film to date from a dramatic and thematic point of view, and the production values are excellent with crisp art direction, amazing acting, and tense moments of visual storytelling that almost echo some of Hitchcock's earlier work.  It's the film Tarrentino has been wanting to make for years, and boy did he nail it here!  I consider this a huge dark horse to actually win the prize because of the voting rules this year.  Due to a tiered voting system, you can vote for more than one film, but you have to indicate on the ballot your number one choice, number two choice, etc.  Theoretically, if two films like The Hurt Locker and Avatar split first place votes, and a film like Inglourious Basterds gets enough second and third place votes, it could pull into the lead and land atop the podium Sunday night.  Also worth noting is that the actors branch, which comprises the largest voting branch of the Academy, awarded their version of Best Picture, the Best Ensemble Cast award at the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards, to Inglourious Basterds, beating out the current favorite, The Hurt Locker.  Therefore, it's not entirely safe to assume we won't see Basterds win it all on Sunday, especially if the actors branch gets behind it.

Finally we have the big two, Avatar and The Hurt Locker.  By now you've no doubt heard the David vs. Goliath comparisons, and they are incredibly accurate.  We're talking about the number one film of all time, a sci-fi fantasy epic grossing 700 million and counting, featuring the most advanced visual effects ever committed to celluloid, going head to head against the least successful nominee at the box office, a little film about bomb squads (proper term is EOD) in Iraq that barely made 12 million dollars, but like it's explosions, it has created a lot of attention for such a small film.  Avatar is carried on the vision and genius of James Cameron from an idea he developed, yet has been speared by discerning viewers and critics for it's lack of original story and engaging script, resulting in a question over whether or not such a technical feat should be awarded any of the larger awards outside of those visual effects categories it should effortlessly sweep.  The Hurt Locker is carried on the slender shoulders of Kathryn Bigelow, the first female director to have a legit shot at shattering the glass ceiling on what has up until now been an exclusive boys club , and win both best director and best picture for her efforts.  Her film is carried on the backs of a relatively unknown cast as well, and tackles a subject that has been avoided like the plague for most filmgoers: it's an Iraq war film, a factor that no doubt led to it's small box office gross (that and a horrible summer release amidst large tent-pole blockbusters).  After watching the different guilds and organizations chime in, I think it's one of the closest races we've seen in years, but I truly believe The Hurt Locker will win.  Not only do I personally like this film above the other, but from a filmmaking perspective it is a better film.  Avatar is unquestionable the most visually enthralling film ever made, but all the fancy visuals in all the world can't make up for a bad script with a heavy-handed, almost preachy message that sounds too much like Al Gore's linear notes.  As one of my friends so delicately phrased it, "the theme and message of the film clobbers you to death.  It's like James Cameron is pinning you to the ground and yelling at you to buy a Prius, boycott capitalism, and be afraid of the military."  Cameron is a fantastic visionary director, but let's face it, he still hasn't mastered storytelling.  I've heard too many comparisons to Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas, and FernGully.  Box office success doesn't mean the film is good (hello Transformers 2), and quite frankly, when you're charging $15 a ticket to see the film in IMAX 3D, then yes, of course you're going to make more money selling fewer tickets and therefore gross a figure that makes your film appear bigger than it is.  I didn't feel any emotional connection to the story, when a character died, I felt nothing because those characters had not been developed (Unlike Up, where I had tears in my eyes before the first ten minutes of the film had passed).  Heck, I didn't even know the name of the Blue Na'vi Girl (Neytiri) until about halfway through the film.  Avatar should sweep the technical categories, it does deserve those.  The flying sequences in 3D were breathtaking.  But it doesn't deserve either of the Best Director or Best Picture statuettes.  That's my opinion anyway, take it for what it's worth.

The Hurt Locker is simply put the best crafted film of 2009.  The suspense, the story, and the drama is all palpable in this tense wartime thriller, but the lens is also focused inward to give us a rather intimate look at the lives of 2 or 3 of these soldiers up close.  The script by Mark Boal (who also wrote the heartbreaking In The Valley of Elah) is excellent, even though it has within the past few days come under intense scrutiny from some real life soldiers and veterans as being contrived and inaccurate.  Not to burst anyone's bubble, but let's think about those criticisms.  First off, every filmmaker takes some cinematic license to make their film more engrossing.  Elements are added and manipulated to achieve the desired emotional effect.  Whether or not you have a problem with this is a matter of personal taste, but frankly, if you want the most accurate film with no drama added in, go watch a security camera at a  7-11 for a couple of hours.  It's boring people.  Also, The Hurt Locker came out in August, and was released on DVD back in January.  So I ask, why are those opposed to the film choosing to raise their voices now?  Well, because it's one week to the awards and James Cameron is probably paying them off.  Haha, OK, maybe not, but you get the idea.  It smacks too much like a political campaign of smear tactics right before an election is held to be taken seriously.  As for the claims that the film's protagonist is too reckless, that's kinda the point.  From the opening quote that war is a drug to the comments made by his squad leader about his wild adrenaline charged addiction to diffusing bombs, the film answers it's own criticism, and we see SSG James (played brilliantly by Jeremy Renner) struggle with his own actions and decisions throughout the film.  Ultimately, the film ends on a positive note, acknowledging that while his methods may be unorthodox, there is a necessity for men like SSG James in the armed services, they do best what nobody else is willing to do and ultimately, they do it to save lives and serve the country.  You can feel free to disagree, but that's the way I interpreted the ending, making it one of the only watchable Iraq war films because it steers clear of the politics (for the most part) and focuses on the soldier.

So to sum it up, I predict The Hurt Locker will win Best Picture.

Continuing on to other categories, I shall be a great deal more brief in my thoughts and give my picks, in many ways this is an easy year to predict, but we'll just have to see what happens when the envelopes are opened on awards night.

Best Director
It's Kathryn Bigelow's to lose. Her film is the frontrunner to win Best Picture, and she's the first female to ever win the DGA (Directors Guild Award) and Critics Choice award.  Tarrantino is actually my second pick, with Cameron hot on his heels.  Jason Reitman and Lee Daniels don't stand a chance against these top three, but they're both very good directors in their own right.  Kinda surprised to see Clint Eastwood get snubbed here for Invictus, he's usually Oscar's golden boy.  While I mention it, I was surprised to see Invictus get snubbed for Best Picture too considering they had ten spots to give out this year. Hmm, oh well, maybe they've had enough Clint for a few years.  Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker


Lead Actor
I've not seen Colin Firth in A Single Man yet, yet because he was the films sole nomination, it's probably safe to say he won't win.  I think Jeff Bridges has this one in the bag too for his portrayal of a drunken country music has-been named Bad Blake in Crazy Heart.  Clooney gave one of his best performances in Up in the Air, I think it was better than his work in Michael Clayton. Morgan Freeman nailed his Nelson Mandela performance in Invictus, and he's always been a favorite of mine for years, but sadly I think the lack of support for the film in other categories doesn't bode well for his chances to win.  And while I've already mentioned Jeremy Renner's turn in The Hurt Locker, I think with more established actors like Jeff Bridges and company above him that haven't yet won in their storied careers, we're looking at a few more years and performances before Renner has a real shot at it.  The SAG award confirms my Prediction: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart


Lead Actress
Sandra Bullock has never won a Best Actress Oscar before.  It's her time.  The support for her from the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards, and The Blind Side's scoring of a Best Picture Nomination have this one virtually locked up for her.  The only threat is Meryl Streep.  Seriously, I don't know why they even bother to have 5 nomination slots in years when Meryl works.  They should just say it's gonna be Meryl plus 4 others, she literally always gets a nomination, and has won twice (one for supporting actress in 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer, and one for lead actress in 1982's Sophie's Choice)  Not including those two wins, she's been nominated 14 times, a record, and yet hasn't won since that '82 performance.  Her turn as Julia Child in Julie & Julia was well received, and yet I still think households everywhere want to see Bullock win for her work in The Blind Side.  The other three nominees gave great performances, but have too much ground to make up.  Carey Mulligan for An Education has a few more years to fully develop into a serious threat, Gabourey Sidibe was the best thing about Precious, but doesn't have a chance against Bullock and Streep, and Helen Mirren already won recently for The Queen, which was a better performance than her work in The Last Station.  I think Emily Blunt got seriously snubbed for her performance in The Young Victoria, I'd rather have her on the ballot than Mirren.  Prediction: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side


Supporting Actor
Expect to see Christoph Waltz simple waltz away with this one.  A virtual unknown, he ignited the screen as Hans Linda of the SS in Inglourious Basterds, and held his own opposite bigger, more famous actors.  This category has a habit of upsetting though in favor of rewarding veterans, which works well for both Christopher Plummer and Stanley Tucci - both first time nominees after years of steady work.  Plummer has the longer and greater resume, and his portrayal of Tolstoy in The Last Station carried the film.  Unfortunately, his buzz was pretty quiet even up until nomination day, and the film hasn't been nearly as popular or widely seen as Basterds, Waltz is far ahead of him.  Tucci is a fine actor, but his turn as the killer in The Lovely Bones underperformed at the box office, and I don't expect to see him win either.  I haven't seen Woody Harrelson in The Messenger, and Matt Damon was great in Invictus, but not great enough to eclipse Christoph.  Prediction: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds 


Supporting Actress
As much as I didn't care for Precious as a whole, it looks like Mo'Nique will win this one playing the worst mother on the planet.  It was a turn from her that most audiences and critics never expected, so in many ways she rightly deserves the recognition, I just wish it was for a role that wasn't as absolutely repulsing as this one, but that's my opinion speaking.  I liked Anna Kendrick best out of this bunch for her role in Up in the Air, but she'll probably split votes with Vera Farmiga.  Maggie Gyllenhaal gave a surprisingly good performance in Crazy Heart, but that film is all about Jeff Bridges and the music.  And Penelope Cruz won last year, plus Nine bombed, I only know 2 people who even bothered to see it and neither had great things to say.  The SAG awards and Golden Globes confirms my Prediction: Mo'Nique for Precious


Original Screenplay & Adapted Screenplay
These categories are chock full of great options: The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, A Serious Man, The Messenger, and Up for Original; and Up in the Air, An Education, Precious, District 9, and In The Loop for Adapted.  I really liked the script for In The Loop, was glad to see it get noticed, and I thouhgt both District 9 and Up were great, but I also think based on what the WGA (Writer's Guild of America) has awarded already, we're looking at  the following Predictions: Mark Boal for The Hurt Locker for Original Screenplay and Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner for Up In The Air for Adapted Screenplay

Animated Feature
This year saw 5 nominees in a category that usually only has 3, so it was a solid year for animation.  It also saw one of the biggest surprise of Oscar nomination morning when they called out The Secret of Kells and had everyone scratching their heads.  Who has seen this Irish animated adventure film?  Well, I've seen the trailer now, and am quite curious to get my hands on it myself sometime soon whenever it gets a decent release.  But seriously, there is only one film that should be considered here, and that's Up. The emotional depth, the characters, the humor, the story... all top form from a studio that I honestly didn't think could do better than Wall-E.  Pixar amazes yet again, and expect to see them win.  Close enough to cause some doubt potentially is Wes Anderson's marvelous stop-motion animation film Fantastic Mr. Fox, it could upset, but that upset would be major.  Throw in Coraline, a film I liked for it's look and disliked for it's story, and Disney's triumphant return to 2D animation with the truly charming The Princess and the Frog, and you have a very strong ballot this year.  Regardless, my prediction: Up


Art Direction
The Oscars have nominated Avatar, The Young Victoria, Nine, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, and Sherlock Holmes.  Earlier this year, the Art Directors Guild gave out three awards for different categories: Period went to Sherlock Holmes, Fantasy went to Avatar, and Contemporary went to The Hurt Locker.  Only Sherlock and Avatar from that list scored Oscar noms, so I as much as I loved The Young Victoria and think it truly deserves it, the guilds have spoken and my prediction: Avatar


Cinematography
Between the options of Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, The White Ribbon, and Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, I would have said it would come down to Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker,
but then during the 24th Annual ASC Awards on February 27th, 2010,  the cinematographer's guild awarded The White Ribbon, a little seen German film directed by Michael Haneke, featuring sumptuous black and white cinematography by Christian Berger.  Expect this film, which also is nominated for best foreign language film, to surprise and win this coveted category over bigger, more prestigious films.  Prediction: Christian Berger for The White Ribbon


Costume Design
Their guild awarded The Young Victoria  for period, Crazy Heart for contemporary, and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus for fantasy.  Off of that list, only The Young Victoria and The Imaginarium were nominated for Oscars, along with Bright Star, Coco avant Chanel, and Nine. Expect to see Oscar love it's period pieces, and while Bright Star had some of the most beautiful costumes, it's lack of guild support opens the door for one of my favorites to win here, so my Prediction: Sandy Powell for The Young Victoria


Editing
This category is crucial to Best Picture hopefuls.  In fact, whoever wins Best Editing will probably go on to win Best Picture.  Once again, we have a 3 way race here between the big 3: The Hurt Locker, Avatar, and Inglorious Basterds. District 9 was a pleasant surprise here, and I was kinda shocked to see Precious beat out Up in the Air here too.  But since The Hurt Locker is the front runner for Best Picture and it also won the editors guild award, expect to see it stand atop the podium.  Prediction: Bob Murawski & Chris Innis for The Hurt Locker


MakeUp
Star Trek, Il Divo, and The Young Victoria battle it out here.  I can't find any guild awards to give me any indication of which way this one will swing, but most of the prognosticators are saying Star Trek so get ready to boldly go where no man has gone before.  Prediction: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, Joel Harlow for Star Trek


Original Score
Michael Giacchino has this one pretty locked up for his work on Up. Who didn't cry at the end of that 5 minute musical sequence at the beginning of the film where he musically took us through Carl's entire life?  James Horner's score for Avatar was good, but not great, The Hurt Locker scored (pardon the pun) a surprise nomination here, Hans Zimmer did his usual good work on Sherlock Holmes, and Alexandre Desplat had a whimsical turn doing the score for the fantastic film Fantastic Mr. Fox.  Expect Giacchino to soar with Up however.  Prediction: Michael Giacchino for Up


Original Song
This category had the biggest surprise nomination on nominee morning when Paris 36, which I've actually seen and liked a lot, scored a Best Original Song nominee for "Lion de Paname."  As excited as I am to see a really great little gem of a film score a nomination here, it has no chance of winning.  No, this category is all about Crazy Heart.  Ryan Bingham's rendition of the film's theme song, "The Weary Kind" is the exact kind of song this category was created for.  Expect to see it win easy over other competitors.  Nine's "Take it All" was a bust, and Disney will split votes on it's two songs nominated from The Princess and the Frog, "Down in New Orleans" and "Almost There."  Prediction: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart


Sound Mixing
Nominees are Avatar, Star Trek, The Hurt Locker, Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, and Inglourious Basterds.  There's no reason why Avatar doesn't get this one. Prediction: Avatar


Sound Editing
This category is a big tougher, it would seem that Avatar should have it in the bag, but The Hurt Locker had a very good soundtrack that edited the explosions and Marco Beltrami's score together nicely.  Expect it to be a very close call.  I'm gonna go against my first inclination and make my prediction: The Hurt Locker with Avatar right on it's heels


Visual Effects
As good as Star Trek and District 9 were, there's no stopping Avatar here, in what should be the easiest award to predict of the evening.  Prediction: Avatar


Foreign Language Film
I both love and hate this category.  Love it because the films are usually awesome, hate it because it's so dang hard to predict accurately.  Remember when everyone assumed Pan's Labyrinth had it won, and The Lives of Others won instead?  Or how about last year, when everyone was writing it off as a shoe-in for Waltz With Bashir and Japan surprised with Departures?  This category is tough because hardly anyone has seen all five of the nominees, and the only people allowed to vote are a small contingent of academy members who have attended the prerequisite screenings of all five.  That being said, Michael Haneke's black and white German film about a small WWI-era village,  The White Ribbon, won the coveted Palme d'Or at this years 62nd Cannes Film Festival.  France's entry, Un Prophete, is being touted as a spoiler, and Argentina's The Seceret of Her Eyes seemed to have some support as well.  There are no clear front-runners this year, but I think with it's Best Cinematography nod as well, The White Ribbon is the one to beat.  It's also the only one I've actually seen, and while it's incredibly slow, it's a very well crafted film.  Other nominees include Peru's The Milk of Sorrow and Israel's Ajami.  Prediction: Germany for The White Ribbon


Documentary
This year I've seen 3 of the 5 nominees, and liked them all.  The two I haven't seen seem to the best the least likely to win as well, Which Way Home and The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. Once again, this is a rather difficult category to predict.  But since it's won numerous awards from the DGA and Critics Choice, I think The Cove is the one to beat.  One of the most thrilling and exciting documentaries I've seen in years, it's actually a very good film about a rather disturbing subject matter that tends to split people depending on where they fall.  Expect it to edge out close competition from both Food, Inc., and Burma VJ, all three of which are very much worth viewing.  Burma VJ may be my second favorite behind The Cove, but I expect the winner to match the consensus.  Prediction: The Cove


Best Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Subject, and Animated Short
Ah, the shorts.  No one ever sees them and no one stands a chance of predicting them accurately.  So here we go, just for the heck of it: Predictions (these are sheer guesses folks): Best Documentary Short Subject: The Last Truck.  Live Action Short: The New Tenants or Miracle Fish.  Animated Short: A Matter of Loaf and Death. 


So there you have it.  My best guesses as to who should win what and what to look forward to this weekend when the 82nd Academy Awards air on ABC at  5pm PT/8pm ET this Sunday, March 7th, 2010.  Tune in and celebrate the year in cinema, and see how many you can predict before the winners are announced.  ;-)

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Countdown

Anyone who knows me even remotely well knows that when there's an Olympic games on TV, be it summer or winter, I drop everything and soak it up.  I've been doing this ever since I was a kid, and many times I've pondered on why it is that I love the games so much.  Is it the bright colors, the fanfares of cultures and music, and the athletic energy all coming together under the banner of competitive sports?  Is it the ideals behind the Olympic movement, of coming together in good faith with the rest of the world for friendly competition?  I've mentioned before that in some small way, I love the idea of the Olympics as a miniature glimpse of heaven: every tongue, tribe, and nation gathered under one roof (or in this case, inside one gigantic sports arena), all united together for the opening and closing ceremonies and the parade of nations that takes place.  Of course, then how much more so will heaven be absolutely amazing, when instead of coming together from all corners of the globe for the sake of competitive sports, we will gather with all other believers and worship together the Lord of Creation, Jesus Christ our Savior.  Regardless of these reasons, I think it simply suffices to say I genuinely love seeing people get excited for their respective nation, and the Olympics give me as an American a chance to rally around a common cause of excellence in sportsmanship and cheer on our athletes.

As I write this, we're less than 20 days out from the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics, being hosted to the north of us by our Canadian neighbors in British Columbia, in the lovely city of Vancouver.  Already I'm getting excited.  Whereas 2 years ago I cheered on the efforts of Michael Phelps, Nastia Liukin (from whom I received an autograph as part of a larger incident recounted here), and Bryan Clay in the 2008 Beijing summer games; this year will see the efforts of many new and some old faces in the winter games.  My personal favorite athlete in these games is Apolo Anton Ohno, I've been watching him hone his skills over the course of the past two Winter Olympics, 2002's Salt Lake City games and 2006's Torino games.  Known almost as well for his winning season on Dancing With the Stars in 2007, he's most naturally at home not in dance shoes but on long blades, zooming around the ice rink in the short track speedskating races he's famously put on the map.  Then there's Shaun White, the "flying tomato," as famous for his carrot-top mop of hair as his tricks in a halfpipe with a snowboard strapped to his feet.  Look for him to run the tables much as he did in the 2006 games.  Finally, to round out the "big 3" as I see them, look for Lindsey Vonn, already being dubbed as "America's sweetheart on skis," to bring back the good old days of other American female skiers like Picabo Street.  She's sure to be a medal threat in all 5 of her races, and chances are good she'll give the competition the best she has to offer.  All 3 of these athletes are proud to represent the country, but in a genuine way that doesn't fist-pump of self-celebrate in the face of other nations.  I know, not all of our athletes are perfect (Phelps was arguably a bit of a tool in Beijing and the months that followed, and at the Torino winter games the infamous Bode Miller was an embarrassment to the nation), but overall I couldn't be more excited to see our team travel north and give it their best in the name of good, clean, competitive sports.

On a final note, I've been watching a lot of videos of the torch relay the last few days.  You know, the torch relay that takes the Olympic flame through the whole of the host nation, ending at the Opening Ceremonies and the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron?  Well, it's happening right now in Canada, and from the looks of these youtube videos here and here, the people there couldn't be more excited and proud to host the games.  (I love the second video, where the guy at the 1:40 mark keeps saying the word "about" with that great accent, hehe).  Watch and contemplate on the following: these people are excited, coming out in droves to see the flame as it passes them by on the way to the games.  I'm not trying to downplay their excitement one bit, I find it thrilling too simply because of my love for the games and I like seeing a nation come together.  But from a deeper train of thought, it struck me that as Christians, we too carry a flame.  An infinitely more important and everlasting flame.  The Holy Spirit lives within us, and as Paul reminds us in 2nd Corinthians 4:7, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God, and not to us."  As Christians, we're called to "let [our] light shine before men, that they may see [our] good deeds and praise [our] Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  The concept of light shining in the darkness is used all through scripture, Isaiah the prophet famously foretold the coming of Christ using such language when he said "the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Isaiah 9:2).  Verse 3 goes on to say what happens when that light of Christ - who He is and what He's done - has dawned on the people who once walked in darkness: "You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder."  Rewinding back to the Matthew passage, Christ himself tells us that we "are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house" (Matthew 5:14, 15).  This light, this treasure, this flame inside of us - it's not meant to be kept to ourselves.  Like the Olympic torch, we're to take that light and lift it high, and run to the darkness, bringing hope and the message of salvation through faith alone by grace alone in Jesus Christ to all nations, both those abroad, and those at home in our own backyard.  The writer of Hebrews tells us to "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (12:1, 2).  I have a feeling Paul himself would have shared my love for the games by the sheer number of athletic analogies he gives in his letters to describe the Christian life.  In many ways, he best sums up the point I'm trying to make when he writes the following in 1st Corinthians 9:24, 25, "Do you not know that in a race all the runner compete, but only one receives the prize?  So run with that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."

The athletes at these Olympic games will receive medals of gold, silver, and bronze... all elements of this world that will fade with this world.  In fact, we'll have for pavement in heaven what they consider the most prized medal - gold - given out at these games (think about that for a second).  All their awards are perishable, temporary, and will not last forever.  As you watch people celebrate the torch relay in those youtube videos, keep in mind that as believers, we have an infinitely greater reason to celebrate.  If two weeks of winter Olympic sports is enough to elicit that level of emotion and joy from the inhabitants of Canada and Olympic fans everywhere, how much more so ought we, who've been ransomed by grace unto God, proudly run with the light of the gospel in our hearts, an inextinguishable flame that burns into eternity?  It's something to think about over the next few weeks as the torch makes it rounds and you capture glimpses of it in photos and on TV.  Perhaps go out and rent the film Chariots of Fire if you've never seen it before or haven't seen it recently and marvel anew at the parallels between the physical games of the Olympics and the eternal race marked out for us as Christians, powerfully portrayed in the life of Eric Liddell.  Come February 12th, I'll be watching the games live and cheering on the U.S. in their respective events.  But the course of my life ought to be to bring glory and honor to the nation from which I've received a higher citizenship through Christ, the kingdom of heaven.  One last thought: the motto for these winter games in Vancouver is "With Glowing Hearts."  A rather fitting motto for the lives of believers everywhere as well, since we know the source of that eternal glow, don't you think?    

Indescribable Reactions to God's Creation

The other day I was driving home after a rather long afternoon looking for work and employment and finding none.  To say I was discouraged was an understatement, I was downright depressed.  And then I rounded the corner and saw this sunset.  Now, I'm not some sort of transcendentalist, but I do have a deep emotional response to displays of God's glory in his created universe.  And that's exactly what happened here... as I cruised along the freeway, I gazed at this sunset and thought about how many times filmmakers, photographers, painters, sculptors, writers, and yes, even bloggers, try to capture the natural beauty of the world around them in images and words.  Sometimes they succeed better than others, but they never can fully replicate the original display before them.  Here I am proving that very point... I'm trying to verbalize a sunset that was simply indescribable.  I've included a simple picture from my iPhone that doesn't do it justice (and for the record, yes, I know it was dangerous to operate a vehicle and a camera at the same time).  To put it simply, there is nothing that I, as a mere man being part of the creation, can do to add to or surpass what the Creator himself has done.

David knew this when he wrote Psalm 19:1-6, which says "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.  Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In them he has set forth a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.  Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat."

When Lafayette H. Bunnell, a member of the first expedition of white men to enter Yosemite Valley in 1851, first came upon that magnificent valley, he wrote the following in his diary: "It has been said that 'it is not easy to describe in words the precise impressions which great objects make upon us.' I cannot describe how completely I realized this truth.  The grandeur of the scene was but softened by the haze that hung over the valley, light as gossamer, and by the clouds which partially dimmed the higher cliffs and mountains.  This obscurity of vision but increased the awe with which I beheld it, and as I looked, a peculiar exalted sensation seemed to fill my whole being and I found my eyes in tears with emotion... for I have here seen the power and glory of a Supreme Being, the majesty of His handiwork is in that 'Testimony of the Rocks.'"

Now I don't know about you, but whatever problems I have, whatever my current situation is, I know I serve a God who created this sunset, which is only one of 365 He gives us each year... those are matched by equally beautiful sunrises each morning.  He's the same God who created something as magnificent and eye-popping as Yosemite Valley.  He actually spoke everything that we see around us into being, something that ought to cause us some serious mental aerobics.  Dwelling on the majesty and supremacy of God as displayed in His creation, I find my depression taking a back seat and instead being replaced by a deep-seated sense of awe and wonder at the amazing grace that had been poured out on folks like you and me, to be front-row participants in the greatest display of beauty and power ever recorded.  Anyway, that's something along the lines of what was running through my head that day on my drive home.  For more images of creation, check out this video and dwell on the lyrics. May we never get so caught up in the things of this world, which are fleeting and do not last, that we lose sight of the Author of life itself, who's handiwork is on display each and every evening, and has never been matched by any attempt of man's.  

Film Review: Up in the Air

The other day I got the chance to finally go see a film I'd been hearing quite a bit about these past few weeks.  Jason Reitman, son of legend Ivan Reitman and director of Juno and Thank You For Smoking, has made what I consider to be his best film to date with Up in the Air.  Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick (in a role that steals the movie), the film tells the story of a man who keeps relationships at a distance while arguing for the necessity of personal interaction when it comes to work.  The ironic tone of the film delivers moments both genuinely profound, moving, hilarious, and unsettling; all the while weaving a story-line that eerily mirrors the headlines of today.  

Ryan Bingham (Clooney) works for a company that hires him out to other companies during their lay-off periods to do a simple job: he does what these bosses don't have the courage, training, or tact to do in letting an employee go.  He has his performances down to an art, having the right tone, facial expression, and response ready for any and all situations he encounters when talking to an employee right at the moment they get the axe.  Priding himself on his ability to handle any situation, he lives from airport to airport, always "up in the air" above all the messy drama of relationships beneath him.  His attachments are minimal as he is living virtually out of his suitcase (or "backpack" as one recurring motif would have it), and has no real relationships of value to keep him grounded to this place we all call the real world.  That begins to change when he meets Alex Goran (Farmiga), a beautiful woman roughly his age who more-or-less lives the same lifestyle, and the two of them engage in an intense relationship based on sexual encounters and mutual desires to not turn anything into a bigger deal than it needs to be.  Their relationship has no real weight of commitment to it, and both parties seem fine with it continuing that way for the time being.

Enter Natalie (Kendrick), a brilliant and determined young woman who has developed a new system that allows the company to continue to fire employees without the traveling and face-to-face encounters.  Her system, which basically consists of video conferencing to fire someone in a rather impersonal way over the internet, begins to cause Bingham's world to collapse.  The man who's built his life around the comfort of not being tied down suddenly finds himself "up in the air" in a different context, as his services and skills are - much like the people he's been letting go his whole life - no longer needed.  Bingham makes a plea to his superior (played with candor by Jason Bateman) that Natalie's ideas, while noble, will never work in real-world scenarios.  There's an art to what we do, he demands, setting people adrift in this river of post-employment uncertainty.  His boss listens, and decides that to test the theory Bingham needs to take Natalie on the road with him and show her the ropes.

What follows is an often hilarious, sometimes heart-wrenching study in differing personalities, business models, ideologies, and worldviews.  Reitman as a director concocts just the right mixture of real world scenarios and drama peppered with humor that everyone can relate to.  In the end, both individuals discover what they're lacking in their understanding of the way the world works, and for some the blows come heavier and carry more weight than they (or we as the audience) were anticipating.  At it's core, the film hits home a very real and very important message that's easy to lose sight of in a world that's becoming smaller and yet more impersonal.  Our relationships are the heaviest components that affect our decisions and make us who we are... relationships with ourselves, our surroundings, and especially our family and friends.  For the believer, the film takes on more weight when one considers the relationship we have with our Savior that (should) trump all other relationships.  (Potential spoiler alert!) As Ryan comes to grips with the emptiness of his relationship with Alex (she calls him a "parenthesis" in the final scenes of the film), the viewer is presented with the ultimate poster child for what NOT to be in this time of economic uncertainty: an island unto himself.  And the bittersweet final line of the film best sums up the lifestyle that Ryan will continue to live, devoid of weight, depth, and anything heavier than that which ends "up in the air."

The acting is strong, the script is good (albeit too much unnecessary language plus a brief glimpse of rear nudity), and the directing - as already noted - is nearly pitch perfect.  Up in the Air perfectly captures the mood of the times and the state of the culture in which we live, as well as leaving the audience with a few thought provoking questions about the nature of having a tangible community and the importance of real relationships.

Rated R for language and some sexual content.  Running time: 109 minutes.

New Year, New Blog

Well let's cut to the chase.  I used to have a blog.  Two actually.  A few people used to read them.  I stopped because of.... I'm not sure.  For whatever reason I just got tired of it I suppose.  So here we are in 2010, and I figured I ought to give it a new try, so I've wiped the slate clean and am starting over here.  What's the idea behind this one?  Oh, the same as the other ones I suppose.  A place to gather my thoughts and musings on everything and anything I feel like writing about: life, culture, history, theology, film, travel, news, etc.  Perhaps a few more people will read this one, perhaps not.  That's not why I write.  Anyway, the title of this blog comes from the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt," which was made much more famous and profound when it was covered with tremendous depth and poignancy by the late Johnny Cash.  My empire of dirt... that phrase has haunted me lately.  How many people, myself included, spend the better part of their lives storing up treasures here on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal?  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that "all are from the dust, and to dust all return."  Not the best investment of ones time and talents to build up empires of dirt here... He also reminisced about the vexations brought on in the pursuit of wisdom, hence my new blog's sub-title.  

The past few years of my life I've desired to learn more about the world I live in and the One who made it perfect before it fell into disrepair.  He redeemed it through the ultimate act of sacrifice and love, and all too often I know I forget the magnitude of that act.  I believe He's still there, still watching, still unfolding His master plan of redemption in my life and the lives of others.  Regardless of that belief, the past few years of accumulating wisdom have sadly reinforced the idea that ignorance sometimes is bliss.  There are things about this world I wish weren't true.  I wish there wasn't such a thing as broken promises, as love gone sour, as genocide and hunger.  But that's the world we're called to live in and minister to.  We are commanded to invest ourselves into this world in some capacity.  It will be full of sorrow.  And yet for the believer, our best days are always ahead of us, it will get better.  I think Dostoevsky said it in an achingly poetic manner when he wrote in The Brothers Karamazov: "I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for, that all the humiliating absurdity of human contradictions will vanish like a pitiful mirage, like the despicable fabrication of the impotent and infinitely small Euclidean mind of man, that in the world's finale, at the moment of eternal harmony, something so precious will come to pass that it will suffice for all hearts, for the comforting of all resentments, for the atonement of all the crimes of humanity, for all the blood that they've shed; that it will make it not only possible to forgive but to justify all that has happened."  

I guess you could say I chose this title not because I'm in a deeply conflicted or depressed mood (although watching my arch rivals win the national championship earlier this evening didn't help much, haha)  but because I simply like to hold myself accountable.  I like to be constantly confronted with the need to make sure my priorities are straight and true.  To be daily dependent on the Truth (with a capital T).  To quote Daniel Craig in the film Defiance, "every day of freedom is an act of faith."  May we never grow weary or let our guard down in that daily fight to keep the faith in a world intent on throwing in the towel.  And that strength to do that is only found when we live our lives in obedience and accordance to His word, through the spirits enabling power within us.  So bring it on 2010.  It's a new year and, God willing, I'm ready for it.