Top 10 Found Footage Films

I typically try to avoid found footage flicks at all cost, but occasionally, I find one worth mentioning. And while the found footage genre is mostly limited to horror films (and mostly awful ones at that) many decent films in many different genres have used the narrative device. Whether they scare, shock or fascinate, these 10 found footage flicks get it right.

Head to Movie Mezzanine to view the full list

Top 10 Movies People are Surprised I Love

One of the biggest challenges I face as a film fanatic is convincing people that I’m not a movie snob. And yeah, while I’d prefer to watch a Swedish film from the ‘60s, than a blockbuster from 2013, I can like anything. I don’t like everything, but I can like anything. It just has to be something that tests, inspires or motivates me.

When I tell people how much I genuinely appreciate the films below, they think I’m being sarcastic. But it’s the truth. While they may not be the most critically acclaimed or commercially successful films, I love them all the same. Seriously.

My Favorite Scene: There Will Be Blood

When I was in journalism school, I had to take an entire course about how to own a conversation. I was taught how to provoke an interviewee – entice them with questions, amuse them with facts, flatter them with confidence – all in an effort to keep the conversation in my favor. If I wanted the interviewee to be more open, I learned how to shift my body language to become more presentable. Tone, cadence, choice of words, it’s all part of the game. Even if I wasn’t interested in what the interviewee was saying, I learned how to make them the most important person in the room. After all, journalism is a business, and I was taught how to sell myself effectively.

I mention all this because it is exactly the skill Daniel Plainview possesses so effortlessly. No matter who he is talking to or what he is talking about, Daniel completely controls the conversation, and always gets what he wants. Now, whether he does this through flattery or intimidation, the fact is that Daniel Plainview is one hell of a salesman.

Top 10 Movies about Movies

I love movies about movies. I love imagining that the only way directors who have been slighted by Hollywood can seek revenge is by making a movie about being slighted by Hollywood. Now, although some of the films below have been criticized for being too Hollywood insider, that is precisely why I love them. The specific lingo, the exaggerated self-entitlement – when done well, it can be wholly amusing.

Note: This list is mostly concerned with the on-set aspect of filmmaking. Movies about screenwriters (Adaptation, Barton Fink…) were not considered.

In Character: Udo Kier

I don’t know what I love more about Udo Kier, the fact that he has one of the best, most recognizable faces in cinematic history, or that, with more than 200 roles to his name, he manages to make most all of them memorable. Whether it’s big budgets, tiny indies, cult sensations, or iconic classics, no role is too big (or, more importantly) too small for Kier to own.

It’s funny, although Udo Kier is often typecast as The Foreboding German Man, there’s an eclectic variety to his body of work that I find immensely appealing. Now, although I am a fan of Kier’s work, I certainly haven’t seen everything he’s done (hell… has anyone?). The roles below are simply my favorites of the ones I’ve seen. As always, feel free to share some of your preferred Udo Kier characters in the comments.

Michael (2011)

When best of the year lists started appearing in late 2012, I noticed Markus Schleinzer’s Austrian film, Michael, pop up occasionally. Upon reading a brief plot synopsis, I was curious. I was curious to see how a movie about a man who keeps a 10-year-old boy locked in his basement could actually be something people wanted to watch. I was curious how such a seemingly difficult film was considered for the Cannes Palme d’Or. I was curious, but not entirely motivated. In short, I knew enough to know I didn’t want to go there. But one early morning last week, I decided to watch Michael and brave what lie ahead.

Top 15 Baffling Things About the AFI Lists

I have an in-no-way-constructive hobby of seriously hating on the American Film Institutes’ various Top 100 lists. Their initial 100 Years…100 Movies list from 1998 was decent enough – a fine collection of American films with pretty solid rankings. But in the subsequent decade, AFI released a different list every year, which resulted in their laughable 100 Years…100 Movies update in 2008. Here are a few things I’ve never been able to understand about AFI’s lists. Be sure to check out all of their lists here, then come back and tell me what you find most baffling.

Head over to Movie Mezzanine to view the full list

the Directors: William Friedkin

There’s an unevenness to William Friedkin’s career that I find fascinating. By his own admission, the man has made some pretty bad films. But he’s also responsible for some of the most noted classics in film history. It’s such a bold dichotomy of great vs. crap that I can’t help but be intrigued.

As of late, Friedkin has gone through a kind of impromptu transformation, redefining his career with daring pictures that stay ingrained in your mind, for better or worse.

In addition to his work on screen, Friedkin has always been frank about discussing his own career. He’s quick to point out his failures, his successes, and his lasting frustrations. I respect the hell out of his frankness, which, thankfully, is a trait that manages to bleed into much of his work.

My Top 10 Film Endings (that everyone else hates)

The list below is a rare one for me, if for no other reason than every film is a recent one. And I probably have the Internet to thank for that. With the emergence of social media and blogging, it’s become a lot easier to discover which films are hated and which are appreciated. For whatever reason, I am utterly drawn to the endings of the films listed below, while many people are not.

And I’m certainly not trying to be presumptuous (if you do like some of the listed endings then, well, yay!), but for the most part, people seem to detest how these 10 films conclude.

As the title may indicate, this list contains a series of spoilers. Feel free to skip over the ones you haven’t seen, and remember to tell me which film endings you find yourself consistently defending.

In Character: Amy Ryan

Indie darling Amy Ryan has it all, even though I’m guilty of often forgetting that. Because of the way she carries herself in real life – with kindness, gratitude and earnest thanks – I tend to forget the power of her range. Despite her seemingly delicate figure and timid demeanor, Ryan is a perfect storm of fury, enchantment and desperation. She may be known best for playing nice, but this woman can do it all. The six roles below highlight just that: an impeccable range of talent from one of the most unsuspectingly powerful character actors in the game.

Mud

Jeff Nichols makes films about lower class American people stuck in tumultuous situations. He roots in his films in truth, lets his camera gently eavesdrop on the story, and asks his actors to immerse themselves in the world he creates. Nichols’ first feature, the Malick-esque Shotgun Stories, chronicles a feud between two families in constant battle over the father who raised them all. His fever dream of a film, Take Shelter, is a haunting depiction of a man slowly losing touch with reality. And now we’re presented with Mud, an eerie southern tale of innocence lost and adolescent confusion.

Full Interview with Christopher McDonald

Christopher McDonald and I in New York City

Last September, I dedicated one of my In Character posts to the remarkably versatile character actor Christopher McDonald (read that post here). As luck would have it, McDonald’s publicist found my article, and we developed a nice rapport, which resulted in me being given the opportunity to interview McDonald in person.

I met McDonald (or Chris, as he warmly asked me to call him) on West 44^th Street in New York City, minutes after the conclusion of the evening performance of Lucky Guy, the Broadway show penned by Nora Ephron and starring Tom Hanks and McDonald. Lucky Guy tells the true story of Pulitzer-Prize winning New York Daily News columnist Mike McAlary. In the show, McDonald plays a fast talking lawyer who negotiates McAlary’s contract for several years. It’s the kind of scenery-chewing Christopher McDonald character I absolutely love, one that immediately evokes applause as McDonald takes the stage.

So, with people shouting “Shooter” at him in the street, Chris and I ducked into a nearby restaurant to discuss his acting process, the roles he holds most dear, and the importance of chasing after what you want most.

Upstream Color

Last night I sat utterly entranced and engulfed by Shane Carruth’s tiny indie film fever dream, Upstream Color. Much like Carruth’s first and only other feature film, the cult sensation Primer, Upstream Color forces you to sit down, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. There’s no explanation, no certainly, no familiarity – Carruth immerses the audience in a state of reinvigoration. There’s nothing like Upstream Color. If the film were a court case, its lawyers would fail to argue its point, because there’s simply no precedent for it.

To describe the plot of the film would be to damage the central appeal of this work of art. How do you describe something you don’t merely observe, but rather, experience? It’s possible, sure, but not nearly as fun as encouraging people to become exposed to it themselves.

Upcoming Christopher McDonald Interview

This evening, I’ve been given the opportunity to do something I’ve always dreamed of doing: interviewing an actor I admire greatly.

After publishing my Margo Martindale In Character piece, Martindale’s publicist contacted me to thank me for drawing attention to her client. The publicist and I got to talking and it turns out I’ve covered a number of her clients (including Christopher McDonald) through In Character. Who knew?

And now, after several fruitful discussions, I’m traveling to New York City to interview Christopher McDonald on Broadway, where he is currently featured in the Tom Hanks-starring, Nora Ephron-penned Lucky Guy. Needless to say, I am thrilled for this opportunity, and I wanted to check with you, my lovely readers: anything you’d like me to ask Christopher McDonald?

Top 10 NC-17 Rated Films

In America, the NC-17 film rating carries a lot of baggage. Because of the nature of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) – in all its absurd censorship – if a film is rated NC-17, it is more or less dead theatrically. The marketing for an NC-17 rated film is restricted both in print and digital form. Major movie theater chains (like Regal and AMC) won’t screen NC-17 films, many national stores (like Target and Wal-Mart) won’t sell them… so basically, you have a shot at seeing them in an independent art house theater, or searching for them on DVD.

But this list isn’t a bash against the MPAA, rather, a call out of some truly great films that fought to see the light of day. Despite the limitations set against them, these risqué flicks managed to push through.

Head over to Movie Mezzanine to view the full list