twenty ten in film

inception in real-time

yes, the kids are all right

In an effort to get a review up of all the Oscar contenders on my list I am going to put up my thoughts on the films from this past summer (The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3 & Inception) before diving into the more recent releases. They won’t be full reviews, they won’t be long and wordy and they won’t detail the storyline. Just my quick thoughts on the film. Why I liked it. Why I think it’s a contender. First Up:


Marriage is hard work. J would disagree with me on that, but sometimes when I’m difficult and unreasonable and there are horns coming out of my head (for no reason), he has to remind himself why I’m his wife. Sometimes I have to force myself to tune into what he is saying because, frankly, sometimes what he’s saying is so boring (and my Command & Conquer knowledge is extremely limited). To say nothing of the fact that we have two small people we are responsible for and often find ourselves trying to find that middle ground between our parenting styles. It’s hard.

And it’ll probably get harder. But we’re still here. Because I really like that moment when he steps though the door in the evenings. Because we can still find things to laugh about every day. Because all these years later he still thinks I’m more interesting than any girl he’s ever met. And because when I went total bitch this past weekend at IKEA because “I can’t believe you didn’t measure the room before we came” and I stormed away in frustration he quietly ate it while I stewed. And those things make up for the times when we make each other feel small, or forget to appreciate, or just don’t bother.

Not too long ago I overheard two older ladies talking about movies they had seen recently. “How about that lesbian movie?” one asked. I’ve heard it called that a lot. I would contend that it’s not A Lesbian Movie though; calling it such is selling it way short. It’s a Marriage Movie. It’s a Relationship Movie. It’s a Parenting Movie. It’s a Communication Movie. It’s a really, really great movie about two people stuck in a rut, and how that rut can eat away at all the things you love, and how all the things you love can also be all the things that hold you back. The Kids Are All Right is a bright and beautifully acted look at what it means to be part of a family. The ups, the downs, the relationship with your partner and kids.

In a season known for explosions, CGI overload, superheros and blockbuster sequels The Kids Are All Right proved that something different can be (really) good. A film dealing in human emotions, raw truths, and real life; it just may be the most honest film of the summer.

As wonderfully written and directed as the film is the real power is in the acting. All five actors are present and invested in every scene. The chemistry between Annette Bening, Julianne Moore & Mark Ruffalo is excellent, and the younger set (Mia Wasikawska and Josh Hutcherson) are able to hold their own against 3 powerhouse actors and give very believable performances. However, as good (excellent even) as everyone is the performance of note belongs to Annette Bening. A certain dinner table scene is a masterclass in itself in the art of acting. I walked out of the cinema and one of the first things I said was “Annette Bening is getting an Oscar nomination out of that.”

I only wish that the studio (Focus Features) had made the decision to campaign for Bening & Moore as Lead Actress and Supporting actress, respectively. I understand the reasoning behind putting them both up for Lead (they are, after all, the leads of the movie and share equal screen time) but Bening’s performance is the performance that makes this film. She is the standout. She is the one that will get a nomination and it’s going to be a shame when Moore is overlooked. Maybe I’m wrong and they’ll both get a nomination? The last time two actresses were nominated for lead from the same movie was 19 years ago with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise. In fact in over 80 years two lead actresses from the same film have only been nominated 5 times. Maybe it’s time to add a sixth.


The Kids Are All Right - 4.5 Stars

the heart makes dreams seem like ideas

Here’s the thing: I’ve been hesitant to write a review of this film. I’ve been talked into finally doing so, but it is with some trepidation. While I’ve never been to the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, I was born and raised in a town that feels/looks eerily similar (minus the mass meth consumption/production – at least according to my childhood memories).

About halfway though watching I had to take a smoke break, not because I wasn’t enjoying the film, but because I felt like I was about to crawl out of my skin. I was stranding outside and said to J “Something about this film is……weird. No, that’s not the right word…….” “Familiar” he proposed. Yep, that’s it. Right before my self imposed break the main character had just called out for her little sister. Her little sister’s name is my little sister’s name – exactly. I don’t know. I guess it might have just cut a little too close to home?

Anyway, that’s the reason it’s taken so long to get this all out. Months later after viewing my thoughts are still a bit jumbled, but I’ll try my best to do the film justice. Onward and upward.

Adapted from Daniel Woodrell’s excellent novel by the same name, Debra Granik (also the director) and Anne Rosellini’s screenplay is beautiful. The story revolves around 17-year-old Ree Dolly’s search for her father, who has gone missing after using their home as collateral to get out of jail (meth is the new moonshine?). Her quest to find her father immediately runs into serious resistance, first from fearsome Uncle Teardrop, then the neighbors who warn that her questioning is “a real good way to end up eat by hogs”, and finally from Merab, the psycho-scary wife of the local boss of meth operations, Thump, advertised as the baddest mofo in the land. But evidently Merab does Thump’s dirty work (at least when it comes to the fairer gender) because it is she (along with her female cohorts) who beats Ree to an inch of her life and warn her to stop snopping around. And Merab has good reason to stop Ree. Turns out that daddy ratted out the other meth dealers and paid for it with his life. This is bad news for Ree because if daddy doesn’t show up in court the family will lose their house.

This story is 100% Ree’s story and we slowly find out she is a genuine anomaly among all the crazies, druggies and killers. A figure of grace, beauty, intelligence and resourcefulness who, despite not benefitting from any parental guidance herself (dad has been in and out of jail for years and mom is mentally ill and cationic), has assumed the role of family matriarch and taken responsibility for the upbringing of her younger brother and sister.

While the majority of the movie is very moody, there are nice periods of lightness to break-up the gloom; a wonderfully shot scene of folk music singing with banjo playing and the exceptional scene in which Ree is teaching her brother and sister to spell, count, and perhaps most important for survival, how to shoot a rifle. My favorite moment in the entire film comes during this scene when Ree tells her brother about the culture in which they live and says “Never ask for what ought to be offered.”

Director Debra Granik is a big emerging talent. The film has a wonderful authenticity that is derived from using local residents as actors, but most importantly from having the director immerse herself in the culture for two years before shooting the film. Her directing is just crazy good and I’m of the opinion that all young actress should with her if they can. They most certainly can learn a lot. Michael McDonough’s cinematography is also worth mention as he was able to effectively and beautifully capture the bleakness of the environment.

On to the pinnacle of the film – the strength of it’s actors. Simply put, Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation as Ree. Jennifer Lawrence became Ree Dolly. She buried herself in this role. And the amount of conviction and gumption that girl brought to her character just blew me away. John Hawke’s Teardrop is incredible. When he is on screen he is only one you are watching, even if he’s doing nothing. And finally, Dale Dickey’s Merab is sublime. Her performance is seeped in an aura of violence that invests every scene she’s in with a sickening expectation that things could turn ugly very very quickly. (This feeling is never more powerful immediately upon Ree’s return to speak to Merab – I was watching the scene though the slits in my fingers.)

Make no mistake: Winter’s Bone is a film about poverty and desperation but it never exploits its characters or engages in manipulation or sentimentality. It most assuredly can be tough to watch at times, it however, is not as some critics have said “poverty porn.”

And ultimately, it is a reminder how astonishing the things people are capable of when their survival or way of life is threatened.


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Winter’s Bone is a rich, satisfying film that more than deserves the accolades it has been receiving. Back in January at Sundance it walked away with the Jury Prize for dramatic competition as well as the screenwriting award. The film, it’s director and it’s actors are on most of the critics lists to garner some Oscar nominations and it’s more recent awards seem to support that as well. Last month it was the big winner at the Sprit Awards with 7 nominations including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screen Play, Best Cinematography, Best Lead Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (John Hawke), and Best Supporting Actress (Dale Dickey). It’s also won at the Gotham Awards (Best Ensemble Cast, Best Film, and Breakthrough - Jennifer Lawrence) and the Seattle International Film Festival (Best Actress – Jennifer Lawrence and Best Director) and as the awards season progresses should rake in numerous other nominations/wins.


Winter's Bone - 4 Stars