#4 - The Bucket List

Directed by Rob Reiner
2007 Comedy/Drama
Rated PG-13

1/2 Star

Well, we're less than three full days into 2008, and there is already a frontrunner for worst picture of the year. Sure to garner both its leads their first ever Razzie nominations, this is a shameless, terribly written, and somehow badly acted melodrama about two men who, stricken with cancer, decide to try to complete a "Bucket List," i.e. things they'd like to do before they kick the bucket. Despite the fact that I could rant about this film for quite a long time, i'll stick to my three main complaints:
1. Morgan Freeman has officially become a parody of himself. Remember that Family Guy episode with Morgan Freeman narrating "The Narrator?" That's what most of his voiceover felt like in this movie.
2. I never, ever thought i'd say this, but Jack Nicholson is the weakest link (acting-wise) in the film. I've liked every performance i've seen him give (except for The Departed, but I blame that more on the fact that the character was too over the top for me to take seriously in the first place; I highly doubt any other actor could've done any better).
3. The ending of the film is manipulatively heartbreaking. Despite the fact that the last 20 minutes or so is just a collection of the worst cliches of every melodramatic film you've ever seen, it still brought a tear to my eye (this actually made me hate the film even more).
If there is one recommendation I can give to everyone this January, it's to stay the HELL away from The Bucket List. I don't often truly hate a film; but there's always the exception.

#3 - The King Of Kong

Directed by Seth Gordon
2007 Documentary
Rated PG-13

*****

Depending on the audience it reaches, I believe that The King Of Kong could go down as not only one of the best documentaries of this decade, but as one of the greatest underdog stories ever told. The film is the story of two men; one is Billy Mitchell, an arcade video game legend, who at one time was the holder of five different world records, including the subject of this film, Donkey Kong. The other is Scott Wiebe, a married father of two from Washington. He has been the underdog his entire life; right when things would ever start going good for him, something would happen an he would be back at square one. Mitchell is the perfect villain; Wiebe is the perfect hero. As we follow along on Wiebe's quest to knock Mitchell off his throne, it's often hard to believe that this isn't Christopher Guest's latest mockumentary; the people are so off-the-wall that to find out you aren't watching a fiction film, its actually a bit surprising (probably the reason an adaptation for a dramatized version of the documentary is already in the works). So many of the things that happen seem almost made for the big screen.
I had no problems with this film, not even the sloppily put together coda at the end. If you are a fan of the underdog, and feel like cheering a few times at a movie, then make sure you check out The King Of Kong.

#2 - Eastern Promises

Directed by David Cronenberg
2007 Thriller
Rated R

*** 1/2

Prior to 2005, I had never seen a David Cronenberg film. Then he released A History of Violence. One of the best films of the year, it seemed a lock for multiple Oscar nominations. So when January came around and the only one who got any recognition was William Hurt (in the movie less than five minutes), I was understandably disappointed. Cronenberg's latest film, Eastern Promises, will likely be met with the same number of nominations, though I agree with it a bit more. The movie stars Naomi Watts as a British midwife who delivers a baby to a 14 year-old girl. The girl dies; the baby lives. A diary left behind by the girl leads her to several Russian mobsters, including Mortensen, who may have been the reason for the girl's death.
Unlike A History Of Violence, which definitely tried something new with its story, this is more or less a genre picture; a thriller about a crime family. However, what puts this above other films is the performances. Watts and Cassell are both great. However, as the driver for Cassell's character, Mortensen is absolutely incredible. You are never sure of what his intentions are, and never know if you should trust him or not. And when you finally do find out his true intentions, you NEVER see it coming. Certainly worthy of an Oscar nomination. So, while Eastern Promises never rises to the greatness that was A History Of Violence, it is certainly worth a look.

#1 - Grey Gardens

Directed by Albert and David Maysles
1975 Documentary
Rated PG

****

Over the years, Grey Gardens has gained a reputation as being both one of the quirkiest cult classics of all time and one of the most loved. I've always been fascinated with people who seem to enjoy living in squalor, and the Beale's certainly do. The film feels less like a documentary than most you will see; there's no narration, and it seems that pretty much whatever was able to be filmed during the directors' time there was what they used. It would have been nice to see a bit more into the Beale women when they were younger (they were both beautiful), but as it is, it stands as one of the most unintentionally funny movies ever made.