The Next Three Days

Paul Haggis, who could care less what I think of him because he has an Oscar and none of my statuettes have names, is a hack whose Oscar is for the worst Best Picture of my lifetime, 2004's Crash. So, it surprises me that here I am 7 years later writing about one of his films. I heard it was good and besides, 7 years? Wow. I have no concept of time.

Fine, I'll just say it: this was pretty good, and a lot of that has to do with Haggis' direction. (No, he's not a hack, he just made an insulting and inept film that was unjustly rewarded.) Russell Crowe plays a mild-mannered community college professor whose wife (Elizabeth Banks) is inexplicably convicted of murder and sentenced to a long time in the clink. Crowe, of course, doesn't buy the rap, and he eventually concocts a scheme to bust her out of county jail  after her appeal is denied and she is sent to the state prison. I know, but stay with me: this is probably the most plausible take on this implausible premise. (Would I do it? I would absolutely bust out Elizabeth Banks. Then again, he had a shot with Olivia Wilde on the outside, so, no, probably not. It was a lot of work.)

Crowe gives a terrific understated performance, playing up the everyman angle instead of chewing scenery and Haggis complements him by keeping the story from ever seeming unbelievable. Maybe not ever, but for the most part. Ultimately, it is still a fantasy scenario, but its tone keeps the plot tense and leaves you not quite sure how it will end. You know, an entertaining movie. PLUS

The Taqwacores

Taqwacore is the Islamic punk movement and before you ask, what the hell is the Islamic punk movement, let me refer you to the first word of this sentence. This film is based on Michael Muhammad Knight's 2003 novel and centers on an off-campus house at the University of Buffalo and the band of misfit Muslims living there. While featuring a good deal of music, it's not about that necessarily. It's mainly about fitting in, or rather, not fitting in--subculture outcasts caught between two seemingly incompatible worlds. And it does this by neither preaching or patronizing, but instead simply showing us a slice of life most of us didn't even know was there. Reminded me of another little-seen film, SLC Punk! (1998, PLUS), that explores the punk scene within another extremist religious society.

I was surprised to see this film get such a low score on IMDb. It contains some important questions asked in an intelligent manner. But more than that, it's just different. PLUS

Top 10 of 2010

What, I needed time to think. And see True Grit, which took forever to come out on DVD. Sorry, but 6 months is forever in the high stakes world of sporadic movie blogging. At least it was worth it as the Coen Brothers' latest cracked the vaunted top ten. Imagine if I had been waiting for Little Fockers.

***Disclaimer: This is my list and not the official SMC rankings. That list is still being transcribed by albino monks.***

So, what kind of film gets into my top ten? There's no formula, of course, because what a waste of science that would be. It is more the feeling of enjoying the act of watching a particular film, be it the story itself, the acting, the cinematography, the music, or, as is the case with the best of the best, the beautiful confluence of all the above. (Note: if the script contains the word "confluence," it is more than likely a pretentious mess.) All kidding aside, you never quite know why a great piece of art moves you, but you definitely know when it does. The why only matters if you actually get paid to be a critic.

1. The Social Network (David Fincher, director)

2. Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky)

3. Never Let Me Go (Mark Romanek)

4. Inception (Christopher Nolan)

5. Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance)

6. Winter's Bone (Debra Granik)

7. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Edgar Wright)

8. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)

9. True Grit (Joel & Ethan Coen)

10. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)

Hmm. There you go. I'm good with the top three. The rest could be mashed up without much of an argument from me. Black Swan was better the second time around, and honestly, it has a strong claim on number one. Overall, a solid year, although almost entirely thanks tot he final quarter.

So?

Resident Evil: Afterlife

Milla Jovovich is something else. And in the opening action sequence here, she is more than that, somethings else, as her character's genetically-enhanced clones throw down Matrix-style on the evil corporate stronghold. Actually, I don't know what this movie would have looked like if there had never been a Matrix, right down to Umbrella Chairman Albert Wesker, the Big Bad played by Shawn Roberts as Agent Smith--sunglasses, voice, movement. I know director Paul W.S. Anderson isn't exactly the other Paul Anderson, but he could have tried to be a little less obvious. Then again, Agent Smith is one of the best villains ever so it's not like he's paying homage to Arnold's Mr. Freeze. Plus, Anderson is married to Jovovich so what the hell does he care what I think. Particularly at night. About his wife.

So, what, this movie blows? Not at all. In fact, it's pretty damn good. Like I said, Milla is something else. She's in total kick ass mode throughout and, really, that's what this entire franchise is about. That and zombies, which are out in full force here as Milla's Alice has to break out of an undead besieged prison with a small band of fellow survivors that includes Wentworth Miller...from TV's Prison Break. Get it? His character turns out to be none other than Chris Redfield, the star of the original Resident Evil video game and brother of Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) who just so happens to be buddies with Alice. Anderson knows his audience.

And the zombie dobermans are back. And this giant killing machine known as The Executioner. It's a lot of fun.  PLUS