One way or another… mark my words… I’m going to fit in most of the Oscar nominated movies on my list. In order of favorite to least favorite, here are the last 4 we’ve seen:

No Country For Old Men- Holy wow was this movie good. Javier Bardem is probably the most understated serial killer in the history of film… randomly taking lives with a zen-like ease. The whole film actually has a zen tone… minimalist, detached, aware. Kudos to the Cohen Bros for pulling it off, up till now my favorite flick of theirs was ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’, but No Country has definitely taken its place. Final thought- I’ve always believed that no one… and I mean no one… could make Cormac McCarthy interesting for me (I’m still trying to work my way through ‘The Road’), but when Tommy Lee Jones reads his words, they just come alive…

*By the way, is it wrong to want a cattle gun after seeing this film??

Sweeney Todd- Johnny Depp could recite a grocery list and make it spellbinding… and Johnny with a British accent? Even better. And Tim Burton… well, Tim Burton films are style & elegance personified, with just a hint of acid to keep them fun. And whenever you have a Burton/Depp collaboration- you know you’re in for something special. Sweeney Todd is no exception to this rule.

The film itself is a sumptuous feast… moody, muted tones with splashes of crimson & technicolor as Mrs. Lovett’s imagination takes flight. The songs are tiny punchlines and, as usual, Johnny Depp conveys more with a look than most manage in an oration. All done with panache and lots of gore to sweeten the pot. What more could you ask for?

Away From Her- Oh. My. God. Away From Her in equal parts broke my heart, terrified me, and restored my faith in human kindness. This is a film about the path of destruction Alzheimer’s leaves in its wake. The three leads… the always classy Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent and Olympia Dukakis, are all at the top of their game. And kudos to Sarah Polley for her excellent writing & direction - in lesser hands a film like this could’ve ended up with a Hallmark movie-of-the-week feel.

Instead we’re gifted with an incredibly intimate portrait of the complexity of relationships as they morph through the years. Great viewing, just be careful… it sticks with you long after the final credits roll.

Atonement- Eh. I mean, really? Slated to win the Oscar for best picture… really?? The best thing I can say about Atonement is that I didn’t dislike it. I thought the cinematography & musical score were great, and the acting was top-notch. But in the end I never connected with the characters. I didn’t find myself rooting for Robbie and Cecilia, nor was I scandalized or put off by Briony’s actions.

I guess the end result is this- when you’re not invested, it’s almost impossible to truly enjoy a film . Plus (at 2 hours, 2 minutes) it felt about 25 minutes too long…

On this day..

• In other news... - 2008
• This is just wrong... - 2007
• Feeling the burn. - 2007