If I learned one thing about the movies this year, it’s that digital 3-D films are here to stay and I, for one, am happy about it. The multiplexes have been getting a steady stream of these features and while none of them made my top 10 list (a couple were tied for 11th place) the quality of these films — both narratively and visually — have exceeded my expectations. This is no fly-by-night gimmick but a major step forward in film technology rife with possibilities. Check out James Cameron’s flawed but fascinating Avatar — you’ll see what I mean.
The average American filmgoer continued to embrace empty fare (Transformers 2, etc.), while more challenging movies (The Hurt Locker, etc.) were ignored and struggled to find an audience. This is no real surprise and neither is the fact the attendance at the movies is up, despite the ever-shrinking gap between when a film is released and when it appears on home video.
Was it a great year at the movies? Not really. Was it awful? While it started out that way, the overall quality improved as the year went on, yielding unexpected delights and crushing disappointments. (More about those next issue). Below are the 10 best films of the year. While it would be foolhardy to think everyone will agree with these picks, at the very least seek out the ones you haven’t seen and give them a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.
1. Up in the Air – Jason Reitman’s character study of a man who spends his time constantly on the move, shuttling from one city to the next working as a corporate downsizer, is the film of the year because it taps into our fear of loneliness, isolation and insecurity in a way that is subtle and ultimately poignant. George Clooney has never been as good, playing Ryan Bingham, the character in question who extends sympathy and caring in his job but chooses not to do the same where his fractured family is concerned. Great support from Vera Farmiga, as his sexy love interest, and Anna Kendrick, as the new-kid-on-the-block who threatens to make him obsolete, help make this human dramedy a true winner.
2. The Hurt Locker – Kathryn Bigelow takes us where no other filmmaker has, to the front lines of the Iraq War, in this tale that focuses on the daily trials of a threeman bomb squad whose job it is to diffuse explosives at a moment’s notice. Gritty and white-knuckle tense, the movie is driven by the performance of Jeremy Renner as the adrenaline junkie who puts his comrades in harm’s way by taking unnecessary risks. Uncompromising, this film reminds us that war’s most harmful wounds are often unseen by the naked eye.
3. Up – Is there a more consistent film production company than Pixar Animation? I can’t think of one. This feature about a widower who decides to finally embark on the sort of adventure he should have taken with his wife is not only a visual delight but also a moving testament to love and redemption. The Pixar humor is intact, what with dogs that can “talk” and playful banter between crusty old Carl and his Boy Scout stowaway Russell. It’s the film’s portrayal of love and life that makes it soar. Try not to shed a tear during the film’s opening that recounts the relationship between Carl and his wife – it can’t be done.
4. The Messenger – Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson star as two Army officers whose job it is to notify the next of kin when a soldier has been killed in the line of duty. They encounter wives, parents and children along the way, but who they’re really informing is us. The war and its casualties, which the Bush administration tried to hide, is front and center here. Brilliantly acted by its two leads, whose characters approach their task in different ways, this heartbreaking film is necessary viewing for all. It reminds us of the sacrifices, not only of those on the frontlines, but on the home front as well.