LiE Awards 2009: The Films

When push comes to shove this has been a rather interesting year for cinema. If I dare say anything it's been a year of heavy mediocrity caught in between some extremely bad (Street Fighter, Dragonball, Transformers 2) and some extremely good (see below). Most of all I would say this has been a year of surprises. Out of the 25 films I listed last year as films I'm looking forward too, only about 5-10 received positive scores. Even then many of them just felt uninspired. Alas though I've narrowed it all down to my top 10 films of the year (note: that I've seen this year). What lay ahead? Who knows. A new year, and decade, in film begins, let us hope we all manage to find those hidden gems. My top 10 of the year is coming up after your hop.


The Life in Equinox Top 10 of 2009:

10. District 9 - Few films maintained such an abundance of style and intrigue as well as Neill Blomkamp's 2009 sci-fi film, District 9. It holds up exceptionally well on repeats viewings, and even then it's hard to understate how important it will be in the growth of sci-fi films to come (perhaps the world is ready for a bit more substance).

9. The Brothers Bloom - Ignored by most mainstream filmgoers, The Brothers Bloom is an edgy, funny, and intelligent con film. Filled to the tee with in jokes to classic con films and books, The Brothers Bloom is one of the most enjoyable movie going experience of the year. Hilarious, fun, and with great performances (including a small blink and you missed it cameo from Joseph Gordon-Levitt). No matter how I cut it, I couldn't find anything I didn't enjoy about this film from start to finish.

8. In the Loop - Perhaps the best comedy far too few people watched this year, In the Loop hits the funny bone more often than any other film this year. Perhaps too realistic for our own good, In the Loop is strikingly intelligent, while maintaining good footing to get those great one-liners that'll keep you laughing well after the credits.

7. Up in the Air - While it may not win a lot of awards for creativity, I find myself hard pressed to keep this film out of my top 10 films of 2009. Not because everyone thought it was so great, but rather because it's one of those films that is perhaps the right film at the right time. Capturing the wide collection of angst found in many homes throughout the nation, Up in the Air throws an interesting spin on the current economy, filled with wise-crack humor and captivating characters.

6. (500) Days of Summer - There's something about this movie, no matter how many times I see it, I instantly fall for its charm and unique style. Capturing all the stages of a romance, and breathing new life into a dull genre (especially this year), (500) Days of Summer just has a little bit of everything for everybody. Definitely one of my most enjoyable film going experiences of the year.

5. Up - Say what you will Wall-E lovers, but Up caught me so off guard with its honesty, heartfelt emotion, and captivating combination of visuals and action. I laughed, cried, and thought (see Jimmy V for reference - I mention it enough) to the bitter sweet end of this tale. No matter how you slice it, the tale of Carl caught my attention ten-fold, and there's been no looking back since.
4. Where the Wild Things Are - Some movies ask its audience to simply sit back and entertain, Where the Wild Things Are is a call for its audience to analyze. This journey through the mind of Max (amazing newcomer Max Records) is a captivating, painfully dark, and yet wonderfully creative look at the hopes, dreams, and struggles of a young boy whose life is not as easy as it may seem. Dealing with a variety of issues, we see what the Wild Things represent to Max, how they reflect him, and the importance they maintain on his life.

3. Watchmen - I may lose some of you here, but bear with me. While this film may be more polarizing then most, no movie this year intrigued me more than this graphic novel adaptation. Caught between the need to appease mainstream film-goers and hardcore readers, Snyder split the difference, and created a film my mind hasn't forgotten one scene of. The second the credits rolled on this my body was instantly propelled to the nearest computer, desperately seeking out every bit of informant it could hold on to. With the Director's Cut all of it came into perfect light. The transitions, the shots, the emotion, all culminate in one of the best films of the year (for me at least).

2. The Hurt Locker - Bigelow's breakthrough film of 2009 became the measuring stick by which all other films of the year would be judged. Strikingly realistic, with a strong message, and the talent to deliver it, this character study on soldiers of war is by far one of the best films of the year. If War is a drug, then The Hurt Locker is the scientist dissecting it.


AND MY #1 FILM OF THE YEAR IS...........

MOON!

I make no secret of the fact that I'm head over heals in love with Duncan Jones 2009 breakthrough film, Moon. Captivating, and yet quiet, riveting, and yet grounded, Moon is the science fiction film I've been waiting for for years. Sam Rockwell's inspired performance delivers all the emotion you could ever dream of, while Jones makes good on all his cinematic promises. Never a dull moment, always thought provoking, and jam packed with emotion, there's no doubt in my mind, that Moon is my absolute favorite film of 2009.

Alright, that about wraps it up for this year's Life in Equinox 2009 Awards! Hope you enjoyed them. Be sure you keep checking back, 2010 is only a few hours away, and we have many more films to review!!!!

LiE Awards 2009: Directing and Writing

This is by far the most difficult of any section for my Life in Equinox Awards I had to do this year. With a handful of standouts, and lots of solid second tier entries I spent much time debating who would make my list and who wouldn't. Some films had great writing mediocre directing, and vice versa, and when it's really good it becomes almost impossible to separate the two! Though have no fear I managed to widdle it down in the end, and come up with my top directors and writers of 2009, see you after the jump!


Best Directors:
5. Jean-Marc Vallee - The Young Victoria. Period films can at times become so weighed down by their own love of costumes that they fail to capture the strength of the performances being presented. Wonderfully combining politics, costumes, and romance, Vallee captured each move of the early life of Queen Victoria with a sense of passion, and we're all the better for it.

4. James Cameron - Avatar. While the story in Avatar may be lacking, it lacked nothing in the visuals end. Few people know how to tell a story as well as Cameron, while creating an amazing and beautiful new world for us to be immersed in. Not only that but Avatar comes riddled with striking images, and fluid direction, allowing us to follow each move, through the same eyes as our main character.

3. Neill Blomkamp - District 9. How do you make a film that comes out of nowhere, surprises, everyone, and brings a nice sense of freshness to a tore down genre? You go with a little bit of everything. Combing mockumentary style with first person perspective, and Michael Bay/Stephen Spielberg quality action (x10 on the intensity scale) Blomkamp nailed one of the most memorable films of 2009, with a sort of power reserved only for the most creative of directors.

2. Duncan Jones - Moon. If Duncan Jones did one thing better than any other director this year, it is create a film that is both an homage to old school while breathing in a new school vibe. Combining a sense of 2001 with modern narrative speed, Jones created a visually intriguing tale, bringing out the best of every second he could find. With every scene you can sense Jones' passion, and visual strength, grabbing ahold of the viewer, never letting go until the final shot.

1. Katheryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker. After years of making films nobody saw, nor wanted to see, this Point Break director, skyrocketed by onto the scene with an amazing directorial effort in The Hurt Locker. Perfectly capturing each scene, the intensity, and real life references, Bigelow made a film that could easily be a staple of the modern war genre for many years to come.

Honorable Mentions:
Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are)
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson (Up)

Best Writing
5. Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious. While I felt Lee Daniels held the film back, Fletcher's unwavering, hard hitting, script based on the novel by Sapphire, holds Precious together through a rough first hour, and into a masterful finale. Handled perfectly by its cast, the story here is by no means an easy one to swallow, and by all accounts, is a powerful one to absorb.

4. Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds. When Inglourious Basterds worked best for me it was when Tarantino's directing took a back seat to his writing, allowing his colorful dialogue, insane characters, and off the cuff situations breath new life into each character. Of course with Tarantino it's always hard to separate the directing from the writing, but here I feel this one stood out far more.

3. Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner - Up in the Air. Witty, smooth, riddled with modern troubles, Reitman and Turner wrote the right film at the right time. Reitman's dry wit, and knack for creating colorful characters, adds new levity to our current economic situation while giving the audience a captivating film to feast on throughout.

2. Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker. An on site journalist, Mark Boal's intimate knowledge of the physical and psychological effects of war on people gives amazing depth to his 2009 breakout film The Hurt Locker. Amazingly detailed, and riddled with thrills, Boal cpatures every scene, every moment of dialogue, with great strength, and sense of purpose.

1. Nick Hornby - An Education. When it comes to writing, I love few modern writers as much as I love Nick Hornby, especially his novels. With great desire to create something new, Hornby's first screenplay effort is intelligent, well paced, full of character development, and vivid conversations. I fell in love with much of the dialogue (while lots of it went miles over my head), and found myself absolutely blown away with his detail to the world he creates on paper.

Honorable Mentions:
Nathan Parker (Moon) - it killed me not putting him on the list!
Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers (Where the Wild Things Are)
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson (Up)

Alrighty, guys and gals, you know what's next: My Top 10 Films of 2009!

LiE Awards 2009: The Performances

I have to admit as performances go I am sad to say I've yet to see several heavy contenders here so when it comes to oscar time you may find my predictions a bit different from what you see here. Though as MadHatter says at some point you have to draw the line on 2009, and what better day to do it than today right? As far as the films go in 2009, I have to say few performances really stood out for me, especially not among the leads, but there were quite a few I have to say absolutely rocked me. As a note for this one, since there's so much here I'll keep what I say about each to a minimum. So, enough intro, let's move on to the winners!

Best Supporting Actress:
3. Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air. Perhaps it's because I never saw this performance coming, perhaps it is because she is asked to stand against a godlike series of veterans and go toe to toe, but I was absolutely blown away by everything Kendrick did in Up in the Air. Perfectly capturing those little subtleties.

2. Miranda Richardson - The Young Victoria. Forced to play a mother so distant and controlling of her own child, Richardson perfectly nailed the role. It's strong, deep, emotional, and all, a definite must see.

1. Mo'Nique - Precious. Coming in to this year I could have written an essay on all the things I didn't like about Mo'Nique, and the roles she portrayed. Going into Precious I was dead set on adding another notch, but she blew me away. It's powerful, engrossing, the perfect image of her character, one so dark, I can only imagine it coming from the deepest of the acting core.

Honorable Mentions:
Paula Patton (Precious)
Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)

Best Supporting Actor:
3. Alfred Molina - An Education. While much of the world will be watching Peter Skarsgaard in the 2009 hit An Education, I found myself absorbed in the controlling, and yet oddly sympathetic, father portrayed by Alfred Molina in An Education. There's no breakout scene, no powerhouse punch, but my does he capture the role.

2. Jackie Earle Haley - Watchmen. If I was to count my biggest upsets of the decade, Haley in Little Children losing to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine (yeah, heck with Eddie Murphey, I said it!). Here Haley recaptures that magic with a performance that absolutely scared the hell out of me. Painfully dark, fully absorbed, I'm convinced nobody in the world could play Rorschach as well as Haley did.

1. Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds. I wish I could go unconventional with this, but alas no matter how hard I try to find a way around it, Waltz dominated the supporting acting competitors this year. An inspired performance, riddled with all the depth you could ever imagine, Waltz is so far ahead of the game here, it's almost a crime.

Honorable Mentions:
Billy Crudup (Watchmen)
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker)

Best Actress in a Leading Role
3. Gabby Sidibe - Precious. While Mo'Nique has gained the looks from everyone else, I have to say Sidibe's performance in Precious was one of the most uniquely emotional portrayals I've seen all year. Not only does she have to master the landmine of such a painful character, she has to escape it through Lee Daniels directing, and handles it all perfectly, especially for a newcomer!

2. Melanie Laurent - Inglourious Basterds. While the rest of you can debate if this is really a supporting or leading role, no performance shocked me more than Laurent's. Having deal with constant moments of extreme tension, anxiety, and loss, Laurent dominated the screen, matching Waltz scene for scene.

1. Carey Mulligan - An Education. Mulligan in An Education is a role I find it difficult to nail down. It's not that there's any real breakout scene for her, but rather that everything she does is just so perfectly in tune with her character it becomes hard to separate the two. Filled with such perfect subtle emotional grabs I could do nothing but be captivated by her every move.

Honorable Mentions:
Meryl Streep (Julia and Julia)
Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

3. George Clooney - Up in the Air. Let's be honest in this decade few actors have stood out as much as Clooney, and it's because nobody plays his character quite like him. Here Clooney combines all the best traits of all his best characters to create a character so out of touch, and yet oddly pleasant (despite being a bit of an ass), that it's hard to not fall in love with everything he does.

2. Tom Hardy - Bronson. Seriously where is the buzz for this performance? Is it because everyone else did something so mainstream that we can't get anything for Hardy? This performance was a masterpiece in the making, a must see for the year, come on boards, open your eyes!

1. Sam Rockwell - Moon. If you've followed my blog in even the least bit over the last two months, then this pick shouldn't surprise you at all. I fell absolutely head over heels for this film, and I can't wait to watch it again in 12 days time (dvd release). Rockwell is a one-man show (*cough*) here, carrying the film through such a wide array of emotions and character traits, it's one of those performances I could envision myself watching over and over again.

Honorable Mentions:
Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Joseph Gordon Levitt ((500) Days of Summer)
Sharlto Copley (District 9)

LiE Awards 2009: Music of the Year

Ah yes, the year in music. Music's an interesting thing in the realm of film. It can really make or break a scene. Eastwood's use of Colorblind in Invictus inspired thousands of angry posts (all of which I think overstate their point - it's bad, but mind numbingly bad, come on). There was the standardized: Avatar, Transformers, etc. Scores designed to mimic every other score they've done before. Some worked, some didn't. Below are my lists of the personal favorites from 2009!


Best Songs of 2009:
5. "Invictus 9000 Days" - Overtone and Yollandi Norjtie. While the Invictus Overtone laden soundtrack is no highlight of the year, I found this odd combination of jazz, and simple piano tune quite beautiful. I'm guessing the 9000 days refers roughly to the time Mandela spent in jail (though 27 years is closer to 10,000). You can listen to it via Incontention.com, here.

4. "Only You" - Sinead O'Connor. If you wanted to know what Avatar's I See You should have sounded like, look no farther than the essential tune from this year's The Young Victoria. Though I must admit it's a bit mopey, I do love Sinead O'Connor, and this song is quite simple and just admiringly beautiful. You can check it out on Youtube, here.

3. "All is Love" - Karen O. and The Kids. With a great melody, combining a unique taste, this song caught me completely off surprise, and I absolutely loved it. With a cheerful over the top kid-like nature, All is Love perfectly represents the sporadic tone of Jonze's 2009 Where the Wild Things Are. You can listen to it at Youtube, here.

2. "Help Yourself" - Sad Brad Smith. While it may be ineligible for the 2009 oscar run because Smith wrote it for the film before meeting the director (stupid rule) it's an amazing song, spun perfectly throughout Up in the Air. It's a rather simple song, but such a beautiful one I can't help but fall in love with every moment of it. You can check it out on Youtube, here.

AND THE WINNER IS....


Ryan Bingham's "The Weary Kind". Straight from the trailer I didn't even have to see the film to fall in love with this beautiful song. Reminiscent from Springstein's 2008 The Wrestler, The Weary Kind is the kind of song I can listen too over and over again with no trouble what-so-ever. A tale of those who have struggled throughout their life, seeking something more, this song is as close to poetry as I found all year long.

Honorable Mention: "This is It" - Michael Jackson. I feel as if given this year Michael Jackson's life has become the victim of too many people seeking to profit from it. His song This is It screamed future hit, and his concert, while not an amazing documentary, seemed as if it would be an amazing return for the "king of pop." It's a shame nobody will ever get to see it in it's fullest fruition.

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Best Musical Scores of 2009

5. Sherlock Holmes by Hans Zimmer - When I heard the score to Zimmer's theme from the 2009 hit Sherlock Holmes I was absolutely thrown aback by how much he crams in. With hints of Morricone's spaghetti western scores, Zimmer Wonderfully using string instruments, Zimmer craftes quite an amazing score, somewhat comical, and always mysterious. You can check out Catatonictes, via youtube, here.

4. Drag Me to Hell by Christopher Young - Part epic, part entrancing, Young's Drag Me to Hell combines the best of the horror genre, both comically whimsical and deeply thrilling, it's a wonderful score to listen to, over and over again. You can check out the Drag Me to Hell segment, on youtube, here.

3. A Serious Man by Carter Burwell - You put Carter Burwell behind just about any musical and I'm going to be greatly intrigued. His way under-appreciated score for In Bruges (my #1 film of 2008) is as entrancing as his latest go around for the 2009 film A Serious Man. Simple, and yet so moving, few people get as much out of a piano as Burwell has, utilizing wonderful string accompany, it makes for a captivating score. You can check out some of it, on youtube, here.

2. Moon by Clint Mansell - For whatever reason I really love science fiction theme music. There's a certain awe and wonder to Mansell's 2009 offering from the film Moon. It's rather basic as sci-fi themes go, but it perfectly captures the tone and mood Jones sets throughout his film. At times intense, at other times curious and intriguing, Mansell's theme is one I just can't shake. Check out some of it, here.

AND THE WINNER IS....


You can say what you want about Up, but I absolutely fell in love with the music by Michael Giacchino. Whimsical, up and down, and beautifully organized there's a lot to love about Giacchino's old school bring back with Up. His theme from Married Life, repeated throughout the film, is just amazingly ear catching, full of life, hope, dreams, and sorrow. It's an amazing score throughout the film, one that I hope gains more respect from future listeners.


That's all for this year in music. Next on the agenda: Directing and Actors of the year!

2009 LiE Awards: Film Marketing

THE 2009 LIFE IN EQUINOX FILM AWARDS: MARKETING

As the year 2009 comes to a close you'll see a new series find its way onto the Life in Equinox blog. The 2009 LiE Awards will recap the year's best in marketing, songs, dialogue, acting, directing, and of course all culminating in my selections for the best films of the year. Of course there will always be films I won't get to see until some time later, so as always the only rule is that I've seen each movie (based on the respective category). Though don't worry we'll take plenty of time out to point out the year's real duds along the way, just to make sure you don't miss any.

To kick things off I thought I'd go with Film Marketing. Let's be honest marketing is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of film. Without it how would anyone know about your movie? The follow assessment is based on my personal views of how each film managed to make its case for viewers to watch the film. As a personal note the quality of each movie is not taken into account (though at times it obviously helps).


Category One: Most Generic Marketing

3. Old Dogs - Uninspired is the only word I can think of, and rightly so. Slow motion unveiling, two second plot synopsis, followed by a series of slapstick jokes mean to entice the viewer. It worked, kind of, but let's be honest the marketing jokes (dog in poster) were so poorly chosen it's no wonder it didn't flop.

2. Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian - So bland and uninspiring I would almost imagine the commercials for this were done via a market by numbers scheme at a kindergarten. Actor, cut, Actor, cut, Actor, cut, They're Back, cut, explosion, cut, title, cut, funny joke, cut, date. Roll them on out!

The Winner: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - There was quite literally nothing inspired about the marketing strategy for the latest Transformers installment. No statement of plot (rightly so), no notification of what was going on, just the most basic of tactics, a series of random explosions, followed by one slow motion shot and the title. If you want I can go light off fire crackers in the back yard for 2 minutes and get the same effect.

Honorable Mentions: GI Joe Rise of Cobra, 9, Wolverine

Category 2: Most Fun Marketing

3. (500) Days of Summer - The solid use of the film's premise, the great intertwining of enjoyable moments was just enough to put smiles on peoples' faces and bring them to the theater. It doesn't hurt that the movie just oozes charm right through the commercial.

2. Zombieland - While the commercials most undoubtedly showed off too many of the best jokes, they were absolutely hilarious and really brought in the target audience like few films this year.

The Winner: Up - I know I'm a bit cheesy but the grumpy old man, the flying house, the kid outside, the people behind up managed to take 30 seconds from a massive series of individuals and make everyone beg to know the release date. Not to mention the first time I saw it I could hardly stop laughing.

Honorable Mentions: Inglourious Basterds, Where the Wild Things Are, 2012, The Men Who Stare at Goats

Category 3: Best Posters

3. Cold Souls

2. Food Inc.

The Winner: Blue Gold

Honorable Mentions: Terminator Salvation, The Horsemen (non-American poster design), Inglourious Basterds, In the Loop, Thirst

Category 4: Worst Marketing Campaign

3. Moon - Why does one of my favorite films get the nod for worst marketing campaign? Because there was none. Zero, zilch, nada. The only way I knew it was playing in my town was by a freak chance of luck. It's an amazing film, get yourself together and put $15 bucks behind marketing it!

2. Law Abiding Citizen - If I had a category for greatest effort to confuse its audience before going in Law Abiding Citizen would take the cake several times over. There were about 15 different commercials ranging from concentrating on him being a CIA super assassin to him being a regular family man just trying to get revenge. On the plus side nobody knew what they were going to see, on the downside nobody cared.

1. The Winner (or Loser): Pirate Radio - I have to be honest I didn't even have to think about this twice. It was horrible. From the awful name change from The Boat that Rocked to Pirate Radio, to the horrible "One American showed them how to Rock" marketing campaign, this marketing effort induced more gags than my cooking, and now that's saying something. Of course the fact that it managed to drop a box office dud the size of Texas does have to play into account.

(Dis)-Honorable Mentions: Terminator Salvation (yelling overload), G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra (you'd think $150million would buy you more), Year One.

*drumroll everyone* now let's leave the rest and get to what we all came for:

Category 5: Best Marketing

3. Inglourious Basterds - How do you market a conversation based, quasi action film, that deals with scalping, extreme violence, and touchy subject matter? You put together a great marketing campaign. Solid viral support, perfectly random and entertaining commercials, and top it off with some top notch poster design. It attracted just about every type of viewer and managed to make money despite some pre-release woes.

2. Paranormal Activity - How do you market a film nobody knows anything about, with actors nobody knows about, and a director whose never done anything before? You create what may be the most successful marketing campaign in years. Heck with the movie, let's show the audience! Combining great use of audience scares with a creative, you demand it, online marketing ploy, this movie put butts in seats, and make more money than it could ever have dreamed of.

....AND THE GRAND PRIZE GOES TO:

DISTRICT 9

Benefiting heavily from a well put together film, no other movie utilized all the aspects of marketing as well as this 2009 Science Fiction film. With amazing posters that put you right into the thick of the events, great use of documentary style commercials to hit your curiosity bone, and action packed moments to entice all types of viewers, District 9 caught the attention of every film goer. Now no matter what you say, that's how it's done!


That wraps it up for this, first ever, installment. Be sure you let me know what I missed, or what you think I got wrong. The next installment is only a few days away so be sure you get those comments in ASAP!