Top 10 Parent/Child Acting Combos

In the wake of Will Smith starring alongside his son, Jaden, in the new flick After Earth, I got to thinking: what are the best instances of parents acting with their children?  I hope you dig my picks, and because there are many combos to choose from, make sure to tell me your favorites in the comments.

The Hunt

“It’s always assumed that children tell the truth. And unfortunately, very often they do.”

These two sentences are the central, terrifying theme of the Danish film, The Hunt. They are spoken midway through the picture, long after we, the audience, know the truth. Long after characters’ lives have been damaged due to fractured truth and irrevocable heresy. They are spoken after we know so much, yet have no idea what’s coming.

In Character: James Woods

James Woods works. A lot. In the 40 plus years he’s been acting, he’s delivered more than 60 roles in feature films, many to notable critical acclaim. He’s also a staple on television, lending his talent to numerous made-for-TV movies, which are, again, often met with significant adoration. Thankfully, in real life, Woods is nothing like the elitist, antagonistic, assholish characters he plays so perfectly. By all accounts, he’s a genuinely good guy who doesn’t let age or type casting get in the way of his craft. 

Top 10 English-speaking Movies that Require Subtitles

Whether movie characters talk fast or have insanely thick accents (or both), sometimes subtitles work better for films, even when they’re speaking your language. And make no mistake, I love each of the films below, I’m just having a little fun with their difficult vernacular.

And believe me, I know I’m a silly American who can’t decipher certain foreign dialects. Fair enough. But mockery aside, make sure to tell me some films you have trouble with.

Head to Movie Mezzanine to view the full list

Behind the Candelabra

Something hit me in Behind the Candelabra. It was during a scene of little importance, just a few men walking into a room and looking around. This wasn’t an epiphany, as I’ve discussed it many times before, but during the scene, I was reminded that Steven Soderbergh knows what to do.

He knows precisely what to do with his camera while a few men walk into a room and look around. He knows what to do when one of his characters is binging hard on cocaine. He knows what film stock to use, or what digital camera to shoot with. He knows what filter to apply, what composition to implore, what audio track to highlight. He knows when to tell his story straight, or jump around playfully. Above all, Steven Soderbergh knows how to make a film. He’s a master craftsman whose work in the medium has forever changed it. Which makes it all the sadder that we’re now forced to bid him farewell.

Top 10 Steven Soderbergh Films

A sad day for movie lovers everywhere as tonight marks the final time Steven Soderbergh will ever release a new film. Or so he says. Since the disastrous making and distribution of Che, Soderbergh has promised that in five years time, he would retire from the world of feature filmmaking. Well, the years have passed, and it looks as though one of my favorite directors is sticking to his word.

Before HBO airs his Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra (which has been getting rave reviews out of Cannes), here’s a look back at the 10 Soderbergh films that have stuck with me most. I’ll admit, the list may seem a tad unorthodox, but that’s a pretty accurate word to describe Soderbergh’s entire career. Here’s to hoping Soderbergh is a man of weak will, as I truly don’t think contemporary cinema will be the same without him.

28 Hotel Rooms

The tiny independent romance film, 28 Hotel Rooms, begins with two people going at it. Hard. They’re standing upright, pressed against a wall in an anonymous hotel room in an anonymous city. He tells her to lift her leg. She does. Cut to black. Cue credits. And we’re off and running.

The concept of 28 Hotel Room is so simple, it teeters dangerously at being too modest. Before every scene, a title card tells us what room we’re in. The scene plays out. Cut to black, title card, scene, repeat. With the exception of a few background extras, the couple on screen (played with physical fearlessness and emotional conviction by Marin Ireland and Chris Messina) are the only people in the film. We only see them in hotel rooms, and we never learn much about them, including their names. They met by chance in a hotel bar (twice) and soon form a relationship based on same-city sex. As in, when they both happen to be at the same place at the same time, maybe they’ll get together and hook up.

Top 10 Movies Booed at Cannes

Earlier today, the Ryan Gosling-starring, Nicolas Winding Refn-directed Only God Forgives screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was swiftly met with critical revulsion. Immediate reports indicated that the film closed with many boos and cackles from those in attendance.

For me, this is as significant as it is insignificant. First, I’m excited about Only God Forgives. Its neon-noir trailer appears to be a worthy follow-up to Drive, Gosling and Refn’s last film together. So, while the Cannes boos give me trepidation, I know by now not to let them phase me too much. Don’t let boos and early criticism throw you off, the 10 flicks below braved the taunts and came out on top.

In Character: Melanie Lynskey

I’m not sure when my profound fascination with Melanie Lynskey took hold. But right around the time I saw her dance on stage with perfect sadness in Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, I knew this was an actress worth seeking out. Since that film, I’ve made it a point to see anything Lynskey appears in. And here’s what I’ve learned: no matter how small the performance, there’s no film Lynskey cannot elevate. No script she cannot heighten. No role she cannot perfect. I truly think she’s one of the best, most underrated talents working in movies today. Here’s why.

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.