My Probably Terrible and Way Too Early 2016 Best Picture Predictions

Who says it's too early to make Oscar predictions for next year? Where's the fun in waiting for more information? I say, do it now and then shake my head in disgust later this year when it becomes obvious that these are completely off the mark

So here we go. These are my probably terrible and way too early 2016 Best Picture Predictions

Knight of Cups

The Martian

Silence

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

St. James Place

Midnight Special

The Revenant

The Hateful Eight

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

A part of me thinks this is a very realistic list, and another part of me thinks this would just be too good to be true for me personally. 

Knight of Cups is the new film from Terrence Malick, the man behind my favorite film of all time, The Tree of Life. I don't want to set myself up for disappointment, but I have faith that this will be another special cinematic experience from the genius auteur.

The Martian is based on the fantastic debut novel from Andy Weir of the same name, and it is Ridley Scott returning to science fiction which is where he is at his best (yes, including Prometheus which I love). As someone who has read the book, trust me, this is the type of material that the Academy can fall in love with, and if you take a look at the cast listing of this film, you will see the potential for something remarkable. 

Silence is currently in production with Martin Scorsese at the helm, which alone is enough to believe in its Oscar chances. The only thing about picking this one, it isn't even guarateed to be released in time for next years Academy Awards. It is currently listed as a 2016 release, although I have a gut feeling it finds its way to a film festival later this year and gets a limited release in time to qualify.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl feels ready to follow in the footsteps of recent Sundance gems that went on to bigger and better things. Just yesterday both Whiplash and Boyhood were major players on Oscar night, and both were debuted at Sundance. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl received overwhelming acclaim at the festival and won both of the top prizes there. I recently read the novel it is based on and yep, this is going to be a special film.

Directed by Spielberg, a script co-written by the Coen brothers, starring Tom Hanks with an October release date? A historical biography spy thriller? Yep, I feel good about the chances of St. James Place. 

Midnight Special probably won't be nominated for Best Picture. Let me get that out of the way. So why am I picking it? Because Jeff Nichols deserves the damn recognition, with his previous two films being absolutely sublime and yet they were overlooked by the Academy. Take Shelter is one of the finest films to focus on mental illness ever made, and Mud was just pure storytelling magic. In November of this year, his new science fiction drama will be released and I hope it is when the Oscars take notice and showcase the work of this amazing talent. Oh, and I hope Michael Shannon is nominated for Best Actor as well. The fact that he wasn't among the five recognized for Take Shelter is such a shame.

The Revenant certainly feels like a safe, solid pick now, the next film by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu after winning Best Director and Best Picture last night with Birdman. Perhaps a win for Leonardo DiCaprio here? We will have to wait and see.

I hesitate to include The Hateful Eight because I have a gut feeling it may not be up for the top prize after the last two films by Quentin Tarantino were nominated. Going three in a row would be quite the accomplishment, but with the campaigning of Harvey Weinstein backing it and the fact that the Academy clearly appreciates that intoxicating Tarantino style, it just might happen.

Finally, yes I am picking Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As I am a massive Star Wars fan, this probably is wishful thinking, but hear me out on my logic. After the prequels proved to be such a letdown, if J.J. Abrams is able to put out an amazing new film (and I believe he will) with the original cast involved, released right in the heart of Oscar voting season, I imagine many voters will fall head over heels in love with the movie.

When Abrams rebooted Star Trek, I recall there being talk of it possibly sneaking into the Best Picture race, and that was Star Trek. No offense to the Trek fans out there, but it just isn't as beloved and cherished of a franchise as Star Wars. If he nails this, people like me will be ready to put up Abrams shrines in their bedrooms to honor the man. I wouldn't be that surprised if this film picked up a whole bunch of nominations in 2016, and not just for the technical achievements. 

So there we go. The nine films I currently think will be up for Best Picture next year. I look forward to coming back to this down the road and realizing I only got 1 correct.

2015 Best Picture Nominees - Ranked

After watching Selma the other day, I have now officially seen the eight films nominated for Best Picture. Here is how I rank them with links to my reviews of each and a few thoughts on why they either worked or didn't.


8. The Imitation Game

My Review of The Imitation Game

The good news is that I wouldn't call any of the Best Picture nominees a bad film. The Imitation Game was perfectly fine in many respects, but that is precisely the problem: perfectly fine isn't good enough when talking about the elite pictures from any given year. Essentially just a recycled set of biopic tropes with good performances to carry them, I was bored throughout most of the movie and have already forgotten a majority of what occurred. Except, of course, for Alexandre Desplat's score. As usual that was brilliant.

7. American Sniper

My Review of American Sniper


Clint Eastwood directs the hell out of this pretty darn good film, but it just isn't great. At times perfectly measured and compelling, but at other times it felt very much like propaganda rather than fair and balanced, especially during a sequence in which the opposing sniper plays like an evil villain while Chris Kyle wears the hat of hero. Also, a bit too much action and not enough focus on the PTSD side of his experience. It was there, I just wanted more.


6. The Theory of Everything

My Review of The Theory of Everything


The Theory of Everything suffers from many of the same problems I have with The Imitation Game except it was just a more engaging film to follow, and that is mostly due to the absolutely breathtaking lead performance from Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and the perfect turn from Felicity Jones as the first real love of his life, Jane Wilde. I could watch them on screen together all day, which is what makes this a much better work than the previously listed biopic.


5. Selma

My Review of Selma

Powerful and important, Selma is a great film but a near miss in terms of reaching its full potential. Roughly an entire into it and it absolutely had me by the throat and wasn't willing to let go...until it did, and the experience cooled off with it. Regardless, a must see featuring an amazing lead performance from David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. 

4. Birdman

My Review of Birdman

Being #4 on a list of 8 total films may not seem that impressive, but the fact that Birdman rests at my #7 film of 2014 as of now tells you just how highly I regard the top half of this list. Featuring brilliantly clever writing, technical wizardry from one of the modern geniuses of film photography Emmanuel Lubezki, and amazing performances from the entire ensemble, most notably the man in the lead Michael Keaton, this is a special, stunning movie.

3. Whiplash

My Review of Whiplash

A film practically glowing with electricity, pulsing with intensity and dripping with enough sweat that you feel like the pressure is on no matter how comfortable of a seat you have while watching, Whiplash is absolutely dynamite. If it weren't for the soon to be Oscar winning turn by J.K. Simmons in this one, a bigger focus would be on the star making performance from Miles Teller. My heart was still racing a good half hour after this one was over, don't miss it.

2. The Grand Budapest Hotel

My Review of The Grand Budapest Hotel

I have long been a fan of the work of Wes Anderson, but I always felt his films were a note or two short of being the masterpiece I knew he was capable of crafting. Earlier in 2014 when I got a chance to see The Grand Budapest Hotel, I realized it had finally happened. The aesthetic, the performances, the amazing screenplay, the level of artistry on display to make everything about the film feeling wonderfully nostalgic and full of life, even at it's darkest moments. A recent revisit elevated this even higher than I originally ranked it, pushing it all the way up to the number two spot.

1. Boyhood

My First Review of Boyhood

My Second Review of Boyhood

Boyhood is a film that seems to have a different effect on every single person who sees it, and some may not understand the widespread appreciation it gets. For me, it is a profound and beautiful experience, one that feels so much like reality, one that makes me look at my daughter and wonder where the time has gone already and worry about how fast it will continue to move. A joyous, remarkable piece of cinema, not only my favorite of the Best Picture nominees but my clear cut favorite of 2014 overall.

Selma Review

Quiet when it's appropriate and yet fierce when it wants to hurt, and it does hurt. I felt the pain as I watched human beings fall in the streets, beaten under a shroud of darkness, shot dead for no apparent reason beyond the color of their skin. Selma is a film that will effectively resonate with me for those moments that brought tears to my eyes, as if I was transported back to the time when such atrocities really took place rather than watching a modern day cinematic re-creation.

At certain times throughout Selma, the film flat out had me. It had it's powerful narrative wrapped around my soul and was shaking me, refusing to loosen it's grip...and then suddenly it would let go, which is unfortunate. A victim of uneven pacing, just when I thought the film's director Ava DuVernay had a pitch perfect handle on exactly what to do with the material, she would temporarily fall back into the familiar biopic tropes and thus let the foot off the gas pedal. At it's best though, Selma is a film that makes you want to stand up immediately and march right along side the characters on screen, ignoring the hatred and the danger tossed in your direction because you know it's right and you know it is a cause that absolutely means something to humanity.

I can't confidently say that I feel DuVernay was deserving of an Oscar nomination for her direction of Selma, mostly because I think her weaknesses were occasionally evident, but it's undeniable that at times she knew exactly how to make an audience feel the power and importance of this picture, whether it be through framing or brilliant camera angles like when we feel as if we are marching behind Martin Luther King Jr. Granted, if we are comparing her work here with an actual nominee, say the by the numbers, bland and completely underwhelming craft of Morten Tyldum on The Imitation Game, then DuVernay absolutely was snubbed, but dare I say Fincher anyone?

Yes, I felt compelled to take a side swipe shot at Tyldum here. I still can't get over that nomination. But I digress.

What is apparent is the glaring oversight of David Oyelowo in the lead role of Martin Luther King Jr., an absolutely brilliant and measured performance that captivated with every word, every look, every mannerism no matter how seemingly slight. Without a doubt one of the finest efforts of 2014, and it is difficult to discern how he didn't find his name mentioned among the five most elite performances of the year. I can fault various aspects of the film for letting me down because they were glaring due to the rest of the work feeling so faultless, but across the board the acting was rock solid, with Oyelowo leading the way with complete perfection.

At the end of the film Selma, it feels as if a victory had been won and of course it absolutely had been. The events depicted showcase a major moment for the Civil Rights Movement, and it is worthy of a joyous and optimistic tone, but I feel saddened and ashamed that a racial divide still exists in America in 2015.  Is it as tense and hostile as the 1960's and earlier? Of course not, but nevertheless I still occasionally see a proudly waved confederate flag or hear some disgusting rhetoric about "what's wrong with this country" with a finger pointed at a specific race, and it's unsettling to say the least.

The optimistic part of me thinks its possible that my now seven year old daughter will see a world sooner rather than later in which we see far less hatred expressed for such ludicrous things like skin color or religious beliefs, but unfortunately I worry that is far fetched. All I can do is teach her to avoid stereotypes and bias and bigotry, an understanding that all people deserve equal rights and equal treatment. Martin Luther King Jr. marched us down the right path, but we must continue on because the work is not yet done.


4/5

The Imitation Game Review

I feel like I would have enjoyed a film like The Imitation Game more ten years ago than I do now, as strange as that may sound. It isn't an issue with mental maturity or personal growth that makes me believe this, it's more a form of cinematic fatigue that I only began to notice relatively recently. I used to complain that critics were too negative, that they couldn't have fun with films, but in recent years as I screen more and more of the releases each year I finally get it: when you watch everything, the fact that something is bland and painfully familiar is impossible to ignore.

It isn't that The Imitation Game is a bad film, it isn't. In fact, I can't really put my finger on what was technically wrong with it except that it just felt so mundane and uninspired, which is a shame considering the story it was trying to tell is so damn potentially fascinating. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, the brilliant genius inventor of the modern computer, and the focal point of the film revolves around his attempts to build a machine capable of cracking the German code called Enigma. Unfortunately my focal point wasn't allowing the remarkable true story to pull me in and captivate me for two hours, but rather to make sure I kept my eyes open throughout. This film is ripe for becoming an ideal source of background noise while I nap.

Everything that has grown tiresome about the playing it safe biopic was present here. The unlikable genius lead who rubs people the wrong way with their social awkwardness. The group of men he surrounds himself with who initially can't stand to be near him, but after time they become friends. The female character who is drawn to his genius even though his social awkwardness makes him a tough nut to crack. Hell, the tone and overall vibe of The Imitation Game feels as if it was literally lifted from films like A Beautiful Mind and the other very similar work from 2014, The Theory of Everything.

The Imitation Game is well made, it is performed beautifully, and it features a musical score by the amazing Alexandre Desplat that rivals anything else I have heard from last year. In fact, I would have had a beautiful experience had I merely closed my eyes, laid back and listened to the magical score by itself. Despite everything it does right, I am left feeling so underwhelmed by the picture as a whole. Considering the critical acclaim and award recognition, The Imitation Game might be my biggest disappointment of 2014.



2.5/5

American Sniper Review

"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."

The above quote doesn't come from the film I am reviewing but rather the 1993 Best Picture winner Unforgiven, my favorite western of all time and coincidentally a work directed by Clint Eastwood, the man who crafted American Sniper which is nominated for 6 Oscars. Seems strange to quote an entirely different film, one that was released 22 years ago, but given the subject matter of this new Eastwood effort it seems appropriate.

American Sniper tells the true(ish) story of infamous U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, a man who is credited for having the most kills by a sniper in history. To be clear, I didn't include the (ish) as some sort of insult to this film as, to be perfectly honest, I have absolutely no idea what is true and what isn't. I have never read the details of the story of Kyle's life and frankly, I don't really care to. I don't need to understand the man Kyle was when he was at home with his family and I don't need to understand what Kyle did while leaving his indelible mark on american history. All I want to judge is the film itself.

At the age of 84, Clint Eastwood is at the top of his game here as he directs American Sniper with grace and confidence and a leveled sense of brutality when the story demands it, and it certainly does at times. How could you tell the story of a man who took so many lives without shedding a fair share of blood? It is a necessity of course, but I also find it amusing when I read so many say that a single film does a good job of showcasing the ugliness of war. Do we still need a single piece of cinema to teach us that war is messy and awful and traumatic? Shouldn't this be common knowledge with or without a look at a bearded Bradley Cooper?

Speaking of Cooper, his turn as Kyle marks yet another fantastic performance from an actor that I never envisioned could be so gifted back when I was introduced to him as a supporting one note character in Wedding Crashers. He plays the role of American meathead perfectly here when that aspect of the character is called for, a man who refers to his enemies as savages when moments later he could be using his own weapon to end so many lives in a manner of minutes, yet I was glad that Eastwood didn't merely craft a picture dripping in jingoism because at times it did feel like the narrative might be headed in that direction. It is clear that the intense negative impact of war is portrayed with some realism through other characters as well as the PTSD suffered by Chris Kyle.

However, I must now toss in a little bit of criticism to sour the delicious dish I was serving up until now, and the irony is the aspect I just complimented will be the focus. I admire that Eastwood attempted to portray the trauma caused by war, specifically in this case the misguided efforts in Iraq (I don't think this even qualifies as opinion anymore, it seems to be fact that the Iraq proved to be a troubling cluster fuck failure), but I feel as if he didn't go far enough in this regard. Sure, I got the whole after effects of combat thing, but that seemed to be heavily outweighed by the bro-tastic fist bumping of american pride and the idea that Kyle was a hero for saving lives rather than a villain for taking so many.

Was Chris Kyle wrong for killing so many people while in combat? Honestly, and this is going to sound crazy, but no, at least in terms of what was asked of him. I personally could never take a life unless I absolutely had to. I just don't have it in me, and I think even if I were to gun down the worst of the worst terrorist, knowing full well I just did humanity a whole lot of good, I would still have trouble sleeping at night knowing that a person took their last breathe because of my pulling of a trigger. Like the quote from Unforgiven above, it's a hell of a thing, killing a man. I can only hope it's the type of thing I will never have to understand. That being said, as a sniper in the U.S. military Kyle was doing his job, and he often times accomplished the goal of saving the lives of those fighting on his side which is precisely what he should have done. 

My problem is this: if Chris Kyle is a hero, why is the other sniper fighting for the opposition the villain? The film doesn't really explore this concept, or if it does than it doesn't do it all that well, but much like Kyle, the sniper gunning down american soldiers was also just doing his job, and as messy and depressing and horrifying as it may be, it is what was asked of him and therefore he carried out his duties. The film seems to portray this opposing sniper as evil and it seems to ask us, the audience, to celebrate his death as a victory, but at the end of the day he was a man fighting for his beliefs, serving those he promised to serve, shooting targets that threatened him and the men around him. Were his kills any more evil than the record number of bodies left behind by Chris Kyle? If so, why?

American Sniper does so much right, it is impossible for me to not recommend it, but I just don't see it as a game changing, Best Picture worthy piece of cinema. It is a very well made and brilliantly performed film, worthy of plenty of recognition but perhaps not the top prize.

3.5/5

Birdman Review

When I think back to Academy Awards from last year, I don't recall what the many beautiful people were wearing or the speeches that went on far too long or the comical quips of anyone, host or presenter. It isn't to demean the physical appearance of the brightest shining stars of Hollywood or to suggest that they didn't make me laugh then as I watched the ceremony. It's just that so much of a night like that is fun but fleeting, with only a few special moments that for whatever reason manage to resonate with me. A certain person I was rooting for taking home the trophy or a touching, eloquent speech hitting all the right notes emotionally, these are the things I often times remember for years to come.

Oddly, my fondest memory of the 86th Academy Awards was one that most people wouldn't even want to remember, a piece of the ceremony that likely served as an opportunistic bathroom break more than a special and important slice of cinematic history. Even though it was not only expected, it was pretty much a guarantee, I still recall the joy I felt when Emmanuel Lubezki was announced as the winner for his astounding work as the cinematographer on Gravity, a film that means so much to me and his genius handling of the camera and wondrous grasp of the aesthetic is a vital reason as to why.

I remember learning that Lubezki would be doing the photography for Birdman and I was excited to see what he could come up with next. For the second year in a row, my jaw was practically resting on the floor as I witnessed the work of a man functioning at the top of his craft. Perhaps back to back Oscars will be enough for me to forgive his baffling loss for The Tree of Life. What he achieved here with Birdman is unlike anything I have ever seen before, which is becoming a repetitive thing to say every single time he shoots something new. A little bit of brilliant trickery was used in order to portray the entire Birdman experience as a single, sublime long take, a camera that smoothly follows characters down hallways, into and out of rooms, inside and outside, and we never notice a traditional cut.

What makes this perceived single long take all the more unique and ingenious is that it doesn't just carry us through a narrative that takes place over a small, set amount of time to establish realism. We are watching characters talk in one room, and with a quick journey down a corridor those very same people are now performing their play later that night. To the viewer only a few seconds have passed, but that sweeping camera serves simultaneously as a means to deliver an image and also a time machine. Not only that, we also travel from a scene grounded in reality to a bizarre moment of illusion taking place inside a man's mind and then quickly back again, but it somehow is never jarring or hard to follow. Everything makes sense, even when it makes no sense at all. Impossibly all of these pieces fit, and both director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Emmanuel Lubezki are to be deeply admired for making this happen.

On a performance level, my two personal favorites from 2014 now have a third to keep them company. Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom and Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, say hello to Michael Keaton, who so beautifully and cleverly and confidently portrays Riggan Thomson it simply must be the finest moment of his entire career, one that seemed to be essentially over with as I can't recall the last time I watched Keaton in a lead role that mattered. The fact that I can question the relevancy of Keaton is what makes his casting here all the more smart and inspired, as the character he plays seems awfully familiar, a man who has seen his star status fade away after walking away from his gig as a superhero many years ago. Sounds pretty similar to the arc of a man who once portrayed Batman, right? Absolutely, and this is done intentionally, and Keaton absolutely nails his turn here with a supreme level of nuance. If he accepts the Oscar next month for this role, I will be quite happy with the decision.

I found it interesting that the other two stars of this film, both of whom are being recognized for their roles (and rightfully so), are Edward Norton, who played Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before being replaced by Mark Ruffalo, and Emma Stone who was a vital piece of the last two Spider-Man films. At a time when the superhero sub-genre absolutely dominates the box office every single year, this brilliant, beautiful and completely original wonder comes along about a man who cannot escape nor rise above the shadow of this one former masked hero character that hangs over him, and the three stars of the film all can relate in some fashion.

On a narrative level, I wasn't moved by Birdman, but I was constantly compelled and I honestly think a lot of the depth of this may have been lost on me since I spent the entire film drooling over the technical achievements like 14 year old me was doing over the Playboy under my mattress. Overall though, the film is a work of art, an unforgettable movie that absolutely everyone should take two hours out of a day to admire. I already can't wait to watch it again.

5/5

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Review

I mentioned in my review of the second installment of this epic trilogy, The Two Towers, my belief that I am in the minority by feeling that the film was the strongest of the three. I often find that the final chapter, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the most beloved single work of the group, which makes it all the more troubling that I actually rank it at the bottom. 

Don't misunderstand this thought by assuming this is a negative review. In fact, it is a rather glowing and positive one, and for much of the film I love it on the same level as the rest of the trilogy. The sweeping nature of the storytelling, the massive scope, the epic battle sequences, and some of the scenes striving for emotional resonance absolutely hit their marks. My issue with it comes with the pacing near the conclusion, the desire of Peter Jackson (and possibly the source material, I must admit I have never read the books) to NEVER WANT TO END. I am all of satisfying, positive endings, but my goodness, every single time I think alright, this must be the final shot...here comes more. 

After nearly three hours of glorious cinema, you wouldn't think the final twenty or so minutes would be that detrimental to the experience, and really they aren't. This is still an absolutely fantastic film to finish off one of the finest trilogies I have ever seen. I just notice a sour taste in my mouth when for the first time after over roughly nine plus hours of Middle Earth, I find myself looking at the clock and drifting a bit instead of focusing on the film itself.

The Return of the King is the specific reminder of why I embrace the theatrical cuts rather than the extended versions. I am already complaining about pacing, I can't imagine the desire to add more to this final film.

Oh, and the joyous scene where Frodo is reunited with everyone as Gandalf stands at the foot of the bed laughing? Still creepy.

4.5/5

No Country for Old Men Review

"The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure. It's not that I'm afraid of it. I always knew you had to be willing to die to even do this job. But, I don't want to push my chips forward and go out and meet something I don't understand. A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He'd have to say, "O.K., I'll be part of this world.""

No Country for Old Men is a true masterpiece, a film that is so brilliantly directed, written, photographed and acted that it demands multiple viewings in order to be truly appreciated. On the surface this is the story of a man named Llewelyn Moss who comes upon the scene of a drug deal gone wrong, the aftermath being a number of dead bodies and two million dollars in cash. Two very different men begin searching for Moss and the missing money, Ed Tom Bell and Anton Chigurh.

Bell is the local Sheriff, a man who embodies the concept of old school, a representation of days gone by. He is the law yet not once does he have the opportunity to stand in the way of evil. A man whom has experienced pure evil first hand, yet as the years wear him down he cannot adapt to the world changing around him or the enhanced threats that are born from it. Ed Tom Bell is always a step behind.

Anton Chigurh is evil personified, a character that ranks amongst my favorite villains in cinematic history. Something about the man doesn't feel quite right, and I don't simply mean his demeanor or willingness to kill anything in his way. Set against the backdrop of the lifeless landscapes of Texas in 1980, in a strange way Chigurh almost feels futuristic. His wardrobe and his weapon appear to be ahead of the times. He is an assassin who embraces every opportunity to spill blood yet he fears the idea of it getting on his shoes. He is a representation of what the Sheriff cannot begin to understand. Anton Chigurh makes life or death decisions literally with the flip of a coin. Anton Chigurh is fate, an undeniable future, and the law of the land is incapable of stopping it.

I know the ending of this film is a source of much controversy, as many didn't care for the fact that it seemed abrupt and without a definitive conclusion. I am not one of these people. No Country for Old Men is not a story that demands some sort of final epic battle between good and evil. Such a thing would completely fly in the face of the entire point of the film. The first time I experienced this triumphant slice of cinema, when the final frame quickly turned to black, I wanted to stand up and cheer for what the Coen brothers had achieved.

Seven years and multiple viewings later, I am still filled with a tremendous sense of joy as the credits begin to roll. Despite my love for this work, I can't help but feel like it will be many more years and revisits before I truly comprehend the perfection of No Country for Old Men.


5/5

The Silence of the Lambs Review

Typically if I am fascinated by something, I want to see it up close, experience it in an intimate, memorable way. I want to be outdoors and feel the power of a tornado as it approaches, and the fact that this is clearly dangerous doesn't diminish the urge to step into the storms path. While I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to travel into outer space and look down on our planet from above, I still quench the thirst for knowledge on the subject by using a telescope to look up at the wonders of the galaxy.

I am totally, completely fascinated by serial killers, yet I wish they didn't exist and I would never want to be close enough to see one, not even with a telescope. I want to read about them, all of them, both the fictional characters derived from a human mind and the all too real monsters that took innocent lives, yet when I consider that the fun I have studying their habits and their motives is due to the unspeakable acts they committed, I can't help but feel guilty.

I just watched The Silence of the Lambs for roughly the 30th time (random, realistic guess), and just like the previous 29 times I feel cinematic bliss right now. No moment of this masterful work ever gets old, nothing feels dated, nothing is diminished. No amount of guilt can change that. Adapted from the words of novelist Thomas Harris, this film exists because people like Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill have walked this earth before and will continue to do so. Scary as hell? No doubt...but I love every second of it.

The direction of Jonathan Demme, the screenplay by Ted Tally, the swift but never rushed pacing that flows effortlessly between one memorable scene to the next, the casting which brought us the amazing performances of Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker and, of course, Ted Levine, across the board everything about The Silence of the Lambs feels flawless.

"You still wake up sometimes, don't you? You wake up in the dark and hear the screaming of the lambs?"

Serve me this film with some fava beans and a nice chianti. Delicious.


5/5