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A (VERY) Late Mid Year Review of 2014 in Film

Honestly, when I started to think about this post, my initial thought was – Geez, this year has been rather “meh” film wise. The focus on the “event” film, or the 3D or just the blockbuster in general, left me feeling fatigued, so much so that I even missed the chance to see several of my favorite actors in the early summer release X-Men: Days of Future Past (MORE on that in general during my Guardians of the Galaxy review this Sunday/Monday — stay tuned).

2014 Mid Term

Try as I might I could not muster the will to drag myself to the local cinema and catch this one.

Or maybe it was the fading afterglow of having attended my first ever Sundance Film Festival. Yeah, I’ll buy that. 🙂

But actually after much thought I realized that actually, the period from January-June did offer up some cinematic delights, at least enough to allow give me a Top 5 list for 2014 … so far. And without further ado, here they are (in no particular order):

  • The One I Love – review pending (spoilers and stuff).
  • Boyhood – the one that almost got away, and so glad it didn’t.
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – one of the better formed comic book adapts for a minute.
  • Belle – being hailed as a Jane Austen/Regency/Georgian piece with depth, I think it is more (and different) than that label.
  • When the Garden was Eden – “My” New York Knicks in their glory days.
  • Honorable Mention to The Only Lovers Left Alive – a film whose experience was punctuated by my attending a midnight screening during Sundance. Also a film where I have warmed to it a lot more post-screening.

So what do I think the future holds? Stayed tuned later today for what I am looking forward to in this latter half of the cinematic calendar.

P.S. Thoughts? Hit the Comments section below.

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Movies About Math (A π Day Celebration)

Happy Pi (π) Day everyone! As the child of a mathematics teacher, the number pi holds a very special place in my heart. Well, not really, but it sounds nice and a bit geeky!

Anywhoo, to commemorate the day I decided to compile a list of films that either deal directly with mathematics or it is handled prominently on the periphery. As I conducted research to build the list, I soon realized that I have not seen as many mathematically oriented films as I initially thought (and yes, this includes A Beautiful Mind).

good will huntng directed by gus van sant

As a result, I decided to take the following approach: I went over to the Wikipedia and “borrowed” their list and separated it into films that I have seen and the ones that I have yet to see. In the first list (seen) I have marked my recommendations with an asterisk (*). Note: Although included on the list, I took Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World off my list, because while the source material goes into some mathematic and scientific detail, the film does not really dig that deep into the subject.

What I Have Seen

  1. Enigma (2001) – Romantic, political and psychological intrigue set in Bletchley Park during the World War II. (*)
  2. Good Will Hunting (1997) – Mathematical genius Will Hunting (Matt Damon) begins to turn his downtrodden life around with the help of a psychologist and an MIT professor. (*)
  3. I.Q. (1994) – In this romantic comedy, Albert Einstein helps an auto mechanic pose as a physicist, all in an effort to capture the heart of Einstein’s niece. (*)
  4. Proof (2005) – The film based on the Broadway play about a father-daughter tandem of mathematical brilliance, mental illness and a disputed proof.
  5. Sneakers (1992) – A team of intellectual misfits is tasked with retrieving a code-breaking box developed by a rogue mathematician. (*)
  6. Stand and Deliver (1988) – True story of math teacher Jaime Escalante, who inspired the students in a school in an L.A. neighborhood. (*)
  7. Moneyball (2011) – This was my own addition, and not included on the original Wikipedia list. (*)

 

Films that Have Remained Unseen (for now):

  • 21 (2008)
  • 21 Grams (2003)
  • Agora (2009)
  • Antonia’s Line (1995)
  • A Beautiful Mind (2001)
  • The Bank (2001)
  • Fermat’s Room (2007)
  • Infinity (1996)
  • An Invisible Sign (2011)
  • It’s My Turn (1980)
  • The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)
  • The Oxford Murders (2008)
  • Pi (1998)
  • Raising Genius (2004)
  • Stranger than Fiction (2006)
  • Straw Dogs (1971)
  • A Summer’s Tale (1996)
  • Tall Story (1960)
  • Traveling Salesman (2012)

Let me know if I missed any!

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Out With the Old … (2013 in Review)

Overall I think this has been quite a good year for movies. What struck me most about the films is that for the most part, they were “smaller” films – not heavily reliant on huge box office stars or special effects to bring the audience in. That is my experience at the very least.

At my last tally, I averaged about 2-3 films per month (#NotTooShabby) for the year. Admittedly, my theater-going activities slowed down as the year drew to a close, but it was not for lack of trying.

As I pick up where I left off back in July, I have, at the time of this posting, (planning on seeing another tomorrow), seen the following films:

In looking at this list and the list I compiled in July, I asked myself the following question: What would I consider to be the best of the year?

My answer is not so simple. Frankly, I always have trouble with these types of things (“best of-s”) … mainly because I am pretty much a blank slate when  I enter the cinema.  With a few exceptions, I am not coming from a place of  “Oh yeah, this is a top ten film for the year.”

That said, I forged ahead and after much consideration and shuffling around, here are my top picks for 2013:

12 Years a Slave. I think this was the best film I saw this year. I have stated it several times on this blog that it was an emotionally evocative, sublime film going experience.

tyas1

Short Term 12. Featuring outstanding performances by young Keith Stanfield and Brie Larson, it was a small film with a big heart. See this.

brie_larson short term 12

Prisoners. Although there are tiny elements of the falling action that I felt were overwrought, overall this film had a perfect balance of twisty suspense and an intense family drama.

Prisoners-Jake-Gyllenhaal-Hugh-Jackman

Her. A late entry. I do not want to go into too much detail, as I feel the film deserves a write up, but let me just say I loved this film in so much as it entertains us and asks us some very interesting questions concerning the very nature of love itself.

her-movie-poster

Before Midnight. I came to this film trilogy kind of late, but I am ever grateful that I (eventually) showed up to the party.

before_midnight_4

Twenty Feet From Stardom. The sole documentary entry in this list gives the audience personally stirring and music-filled accounts of some of rock and roll’s leading backup singers.

twenty_two

Much Ado About Nothing. Arguably my favorite Shakespeare play. Arguably one of my favorite modern Shakespearean adaptations. Fine stuff from Mr. Whedon.

Much Ado Whedon Style

Honorable Mention – Pacific Rim, Blue Caprice

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Stayed tuned in the coming days for a preview of what is to come in 2014 (In With the New …)!

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