This movie is so uncomfortably honest and raw and naked. It exposes sexual relationship issues in the most realistic way I’ve ever seen in a movie. My emotions and behavior are as confusing as the situations in this movie. It is so messy and complicated and simple and sad and joyous.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. American Astronaut
4. Shortbus
5. Stranger Than Fiction
6. Pan’s Labyrinth
7. Apocalypto
8. Black Snake Moan
9. Heavenly Creatures
10. Uzumaki

I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. It was gorgeous to look at. I loved the visual style and character design. The blood particle effects were cool. But every battle is in slow motion. And by the time I accepted this as the visual language of the film, it was over. It was so overused that it was no longer a special effect. I mean, it still looked really cool, but it wore thin.

I didn’t expect as many quiet moments as there were. I expected a brief intro which ramped up to non-stop carnage. Instead the film is broken up into two storylines: the battle and life back home, which I will dub Rome Lite. If you’ve seen Rome, then you’ll get it.

Although it was not a slavish adaptation of the graphic novel a la Sin City, it did adhere fairly closely to some of the most memorable panels. I had seen all of the intense scenes from the trailer so many times that by the time they happened in the context of the film, they were stripped of power.

Overall, it was gorgeous, but diluted. It became a sprawling epic film for tiny slices of time and then shrunk down to very small moments. It was worth seeing, but it was not the mind-blowing action film I was expecting.

I went to add this to the top ten list, but realized that it would be #11. I enjoyed The Host more.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. American Astronaut
4. Stranger Than Fiction
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
6. Apocalypto
7. Black Snake Moan
8. Heavenly Creatures
9. Uzumaki
10. The Host

I have no idea how this film came to be in my NetFlix queue, but I’m glad I finally popped it in. Imagine if David Lynch wrote and directed an episode of Firefly. As a rock musical. This is one of those low budget films where such constraints actually elevate the art. The costumes and props are brilliant. The special effects are barely there, with fantastic still frames standing in for any sort of animation. And it stars The Man Who Looks Exactly Like Hugh Jackman But Somehow Isn’t.

Anyone considering this film should be warned that it is an acquired taste, not for casual consumption. If you couldn’t sit through Eraserhead or Mullholland Drive, then American Astronaut will test your sanity.

But it is one of my new all-time favorite films.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. American Astronaut
4. Pan’s Labyrinth
5. Apocalypto
6. Heavenly Creatures
7. Uzumaki
8. The Host
9. Russian Ark
10. Ghost World

You have to hand it to the Koreans for coming up with a unique monster movie. They go against many of the established creature feature conventions. The monster appears within the first 15 minutes of the film, full-on in broad daylight. No skulking about in the shadows, hints of glistening tentacles out of the corner of your eye. None of that. It never jumps out and scares you; you can always hear it coming. The tempo of the monster’s scenes is like a cross between Godzilla and the raptors in Jurassic Park.

I didn’t get into the character drama at all and didn’t feel too sympathetic towards the protagonist family. Many of their scenes seemed like comedic relief, even the more serious ones. The brave little girl is the Ripley of this movie and I cheered for her whenever she appeared.

If you want to see a freaky cool monster unlike any you’ve seen before, you should check out The Host.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Apocalypto
5. Heavenly Creatures
6. Uzumaki
7. The Host
8. Russian Ark
9. Ghost World
10.

I’m giving Apocalypto high marks because it is visually stunning and richly textured. Bonus points for being entirely in Mayan (with English subtitles). I also enjoyed the not-so-subtle political/environmental subtext.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Apocalypto
5. Heavenly Creatures
6. Uzumaki
7. Russian Ark
8. Ghost World
9.
10.

From what I had heard of this film, I expected only a kind of cinematic stunt: one single take, a follow shot lasting an hour and a half. Instead there is an actual story, a discourse between the Stranger and the floating narrator. I had forgotten the Russians’ ability to make the fantastic seem mundane, creating a mysterious dreamlike environment where no explanations are owed to the audience, freeing the narrative to wander where it will. Though I can see how it might infuriate others, I actually enjoy that style of storytelling. Is the narrator a ghost? A time traveller? Why does the Stranger keep getting chased away by men in white gloves? And where can I buy a coat just like the Stranger’s?

The director describes making the film in a single breath. It is quite an astonishing accomplishment. With only minimal rehearsal, the entire film was shot in a single take. No possibility of reshoots, hundreds of extras, various lighting challenges, and no room for error. I found myself at times thinking to the extras or the cameraman, “Don’t screw up!” But they didn’t. Russian Ark is gorgeous and haunting, a very brave film indeed.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Heavenly Creatures
5. Uzumaki
6. Russian Ark
7. Ghost World
8.
9.
10.