Favourite Movie Titles Blogathon!

Brittani at Rambling Film is doing her first blogathon, and after seeing couple of entries, I thought it looked like fun. So I am going to try my hand at it. Here are the rules:

1) Going through the alphabet, list your favorite movie title beginning with each letter.

2) You don't have to necessarily like the movie to use its title.
3) Use the banner at the top of this post in yours.
4) Please have submissions in by Friday, May 23rd. (But I'll be honest, if you send them to me after that date; I'll still add them to my post.)

Another rule I self-imposed was I only chose from movies that I have seen. It did bite me in the ass like in case of Q and V as I did not have many options but I have stuck with it as much as I can. Hope you like it!

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

Ace in the Hole

Before the Devil Knows You are Dead

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

The Gods Must be Crazy

Hold Me while I am Naked

In Bruges

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

No Country for Old Men

O Brother, Where art thou?

Paris, Texas

Que Viva Mexico

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Snake in the Eagle's Shadow

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Viridiana

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

X-Men: First Class

Y Tu Mama Tambien

Z

Thank you Brittani for organizing this blogathon! I have participated in a blogathon after quite a while and I had lot of fun putting together this list. Cheers!

End of 2013: Favourite Performances of 2013 - Ladies First!

I feel like I always say this at the end of the year but 2013 was a great year for films. Even though it took me two more months to catch up with it, with 70 films watched and Oscars done, I am finally going to call it done! Like last year, that comes up with End of the year lists but unlike last year, I am going to do them in reverse order starting with this list of my favourite female performances of last year. Probably not as rich as last year but this year offered many good ones to us to choose from. Theses are 10 that I liked the most, that I noticed more and have stuck with me more.

First, Honourable mentions: Amy Adams for American Hustle, Amy Acker for Much Ado about Nothing, June Squibb for Nebraska and special mention for Deshpande Aunty in The Lunchbox who we don't even see but she is such a quintessential character in our society that I loved her presence.

Berenice Bejo for The Past: I will have much more to say on this film a bit later but this films works as much as it does for me because of host of amazing performances from everyone involved. Reason Bejo stands out for me is because her character is at the center of everything. She is the reason previous wife of the guy she wants to marry is in the hospital which is why her teenager daughter and his son throw fits at her. You see that burden weighing on her in every scene, you see that guilt in her eyes all the time and that makes this film so much better(or worse!).

Adele Exarchopoulos for Blue is the Warmest Colour: I saw Blue much later than many of my peers. By then, there were many singing praises of her acting but my first impression wasn't in line with them. To me, her performance felt like no performance at all. Then, I always felt like she is just being there and people feel she is so natural. When I finally saw it, I realized she does so much more than just being there. And her being so natural in those moments is probably her biggest strength, especially when cameramen is so close to you all the time that you could slap him hard on the face and he won't be able to do anything.

Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha: The fact that not only I actually really liked this movie but how much I adored Gerwig's performance in it has got to be the biggest surprise for me this year. Frances is a small kid in grown-ups body. She is oblivious to any social norms or responsibilities any person her age is usually bogged down under. Just this one thing could easily have made Frances an obnoxious, insufferable brat who thinks she is too good for all this nonsense. But Gerwig does an excellent job of making her endearing, personable and even relatable despite all her flaws. To me, she is leaving that life which most of us really want to but can't.

Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine: I think Natalie Portman must be the last actress to dominate awards season the way Blanchett did this season. She must have won every single award that is humanely possible for an actress to win for this role and all for a very good reason. Blanchett is one of those actresses who has always been good in any role she is given but she is absolutely on fire in every scene of Blue Jasmine. Not only her character has similarities to Blanche DuBois, she manages to stand toe-to-toe with one of the best performances of all time.

Veerle Baetens for The Broken Circle Breakdown: Even though there is word breakdown in title of this film, I am not sure I was ready for what I saw. Both lead characters of this film go through a lot but it's Baeten's Elise that goes through biggest transformation starting from a firecracker of tattoo artists to someone who is devoid of any hope or desires. I certainly did not expect it to go where it did till last minute but, as surprising as it was, it was her performance that took me there. It was first time I ever saw her and don't even know how to pronounce her name but she certainly has my attention now.

Julia Roberts for August: Osage County: August: Osage County is one of the films I liked way more than I expected to this year and majority of its credit goes to its script and performances. If it wasn't so hateful that all I wanted was to run as far away from it as possible, it might have made into my favourite films of this year. There is a whole bunch of performances I could have picked from this film including Meryl Streep and I really like Julianne Nicholson as well. Some of them might even be better than Roberts, but the only reason I am picking her over everyone else here is because I have never seen Julia Roberts in a performance like this before.

Nirmat Kaur for The Lunchbox: Whenever I make any kind of 'Best of' lists, I feel like I have to have a spot for Bollywood on them. Let me assure you, this is not that spot. Nirmat Kaur, like Sridevi Last year, is here purely based on her craft at display in another movie I will have more to say soon - The Lunchbox. I don't remember seeing her anywhere else and that probably works to her advantage as this is such a simple, non-glamorous role. Nirmat Kaur brings a lot of depth and honesty to this role and, like Adele, looks so natural while doing so that it is hard to imagine she is putting up a performance.

Sandra Bullock for Gravity: Gravity was a spectacle to behold. It remains to be one of the two or three films that made me think that 3D can be useful somewhere than just moneymaking machine for studios. Obviously, Lubezki's work with camera and Cuaron's direction, for which both deservedly won their Oscars, deserves much of praise for this but I kept on thinking that Bullock's equally courageous work somewhere took a backseat to them. Maybe Blanchett's clean sweep also has something to do with this as in any other year, she easily could have gone home with that statuette but I really liked Bullock's work as well.

Lea Seydoux for Blue is the Warmest Colour: These next two performances are supporting turns, sort of companion pieces that makes their leads, as good as they are and they certainly are great as both have featured in this list earlier, even better. Blue hs always been in the news since its premiere at cannes and as overshadowing sexuality of this film has been, what makes it work is brilliant understated and at the same time uninhibited performances by both its leads. Adele is more understated though she has many momemts where she lets her emotions flow. Seydoux is exactly opposite - as audacious, as extrovert as she is, her understated moments like one in the cafe near the end are what make her performance noteworthy.

Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine: As good as Blanchett is in this role, she probably would not have been if not for Sally Hawkins holding her own in every single scene and I am so happy to see her acknowledge that. Hawkins' performance in Blue Jasmine is probably 'the' definition of supporting turn. She makes every scene better just by being in it, and she is in almost every damn scene, but she never becomes the centerpiece of it. She never diverts your attention from where you are supposed to look at but somehow always manages to accentuate it. Those are the best kind of roles!

Keep your eyes and feeds open people! Men shall follow soon... and by soon I mean this weekend.

20 Favourite First-watches of 2013

I saw 256 films in 2013. 21 of them were re-watches. 49 of them were 2013 films and 20 from 2012 which I saw in first two months. 2012 movies got their due when I did my 'Best of' lists in March. 2013 movies will get theirs in this March. That leaves me with 166 films released previously that I watched for the first time this year. These are 20 of them that I liked the most:

20. The Breakfast Club(1985): A movie that is often called the best teenage film made ever. I don't know if I will call it best but it certainly was good one. First of all, I love the idea of choosing five characters from 5 different groups in high school giving representation to almost everyone in them. Secondly, and probably most important thing, there is nothing inorganic about the rest of the day these 5 completely different personalities spend with each other.

19. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind(1984): Film that helped Miyazaki launch Studio Ghibli and for that I will be forever indebted to this film. It also helps that I really like it too. You can easily see a lot of themes - Miyazaki's focus on environmentalist message, strong female protagonist, antagonist with redeeming qualities - that would go on to be trademark Studio Ghibli making this film just as great as what followed it.

18. True Romance(1993): I have seen all the films Tarantino directed already but I haven't seen any of those he just wrote. I still haven't got to the other two but this was a hell of a start. I am not much of a Tony Scott expert but if I didn't know QT just wrote this, I never would've known since QT is all over it. To Scott's credit, even though he had bunch of amazing characters, he assembled hell of a cast and got great performances out of them too.

17. Sweet Smell of Success(1957): This must have been the most quotable film I have seen last year. I knew about most of the popular ones before but my favourite was the one I had not heard before - "What do you think of the capital punishment, Senator? Because someone's just been sentenced to death". Overall, I actually didn't like it very much at first but it stuck with me for quite a while and more I thought about it, more I appreciated it.

16. Z(1969): I love political thrillers; they draw me in instantly. Z had an added advantage of it mirroring real events, another natural draw for me but it turned out to one of the best I have seen. What I like about it is sort of staged documentary feel of it. It doesn't add any melodrama to it but at the same time manages to keep viewer interested. It also doesn't muddle available data nor does it try to force it's own view.

15. The Long Goodbye(1973): It wasn't my first Altman(I had seen Gosford Park(2001) before) but it certainly was the one that made me go looking for his other films. I have been watching at least one film/month since then religiously. I haven't seen many noirs but it's got to be one of the best I have seen. Altman style almost makes it all look like he is taking a dig at it but at the same time being respectful by staying within the genre. And it all works!

14. It Happened One Night(1934): First and one of only three to win big five at Oscars. The more I think about this film, more I respect it. I mean, this movie is a simple, straight forward romantic comedy about two people on road who don't really want to be together. That's it! No heavy stuff. No deep implications, no high stakes at the end of line, no existential issues. But it's so good! Prime example of lightweight movie done properly being a good one.

13. From Here to Eternity(1953): It's one of those rare occasions where Academy seems to have got it right. Admittedly, there could have been better films this year though I haven't seen one and at least they didn't choose bad film which we all know that happens every so often. On another note, I have seen Burt Lancaster in 4-5 films and he has been the best part of every single one of them. I might be up to something, I guess!

12. Paris, Texas(1984): Like best films of year, if I did a list of my favourite scenes, Travis and Jane's conversation in her booth would easily top that list. No Contest there! There are very few things I have ever seen which are more beautifully devastating than that conversation. I love this film as a whole, I really do but that one scene has left such an impression on me that I scarcely remember anything else now.

11. The French Connection(1971): Out of 12 films I saw this year for Blind Spot series, 5 made this list. Friedkin's crime-action-thriller is considered one of the best BP winners and I certainly agree. What's more interesting is how many action films have done it since? or even crime films for that matter. Being what's now considered as one of the blockbuster-y films, it's great to see it still holding its candle among more drama oriented films.

10. Cool Hand Luke(1968): From the way this movie starts, I never in million years would have expected it to end the way it does. What's even more incredible is it isn't like you took couple of wrong turns and wound up somewhere unexpected. Now that I look back at it, I realize that all along it kept steering me little by little towards that end. But I was caught so unaware that the ending literally blew me.

9. Gentleman’s Agreement(1947): I want to watch every Best Picture winner there has ever been. Those who have already done it can attest to the fact that it means watching a lot of mediocre films, especially when you have seen most of what you really wanted to and are left with 'homework'. I still want to do this because that drive has led me to the discovery of this gem. It rekindled glimmer of hope in me that there could be another, just waiting for me to discover.

8. I Live in Fear(1955): After getting through most of Kurosawa's well known works, I continued getting deeper into his filmography. I still haven't seen a film I don't like but the best part of this exercise by far has been discovering gems like this. Toshiro Mifune is a great actor that often does great job with Kurosawa but he is at entirely different level here playing an old guy who wants his whole family to move to South America because he is paranoid of impending nuclear war.

7. Broadcast News(1987): Couple of years ago, I wasn't even aware of existence of this film and then suddenly I found so many people calling it one of their favourite films. Now that I have seen it, I can certainly see why as I have become one of them. It was pure joy watching this film. I don't remember the last time I had so much fun or felt such an excitement watching any film. Finally, at the risk of sounding little sadist, Holly Hunter crying is the funniest thing ever!

6. Mulholland Drive(2001): Even though I haven't seen most of David Lynch's stuff, I know it isn't up my alley. I've seen two of his most revered works from film and television and absolutely hate it. So it came as a definite surprise to me when I found myself completely engrossed into this one, despite having distinct Lynchian qualities to it. Sure, Naomi Watts giving phenomenal performance going from wide-eyed beauty to drugged up white trash proved a very useful gateway but I even found the story utterly fascinating.

5. Junebug(2005): I might have seen a few films before but Enchanted(2007) was the first film I noticed Amy Adams in. Like I was introduced to her in Enchanted, I am sure Junebug was her introduction to the world. In my books this woman can do no wrong. I love the variety she has brought in her roles ever since and it would be almost impossible for me to choose one role over the other. But if I have to choose, I think her work here is superior than anything she has done since. If anyone have any doubts, they only need to watch her hospital scene.

4. Through a Glass Darkly(1961): The thing with Bergman films is I have seen a good dozen of them and you would think I'd have gotten hang of them now. Truth is, even now I often leave with a feeling that I have seen something great; I just don't know what? If you can get to that 'what', they can be real memorable experiences(I will never forget how I felt after watching Wild Strawberries(1957) the first time). Through a Glass Darkly got very close to that and Harriet Anderson's phenomenal lead turn played significant part in it.

3. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre(1948): Humphrey Bogart was a great actor. He was a great Phillip Marlowe in The Big Sleep(1946), a wisecracking, hard drinking private eye successfully repelling the charms of femme fatales. He was probably even better in his first truly romantic part in Casablanca(1942), the greatest love story of all time. But nothing prepared for me for raw, manic, almost deranged performance he gives in this film. He is spectacular even at his most pathetic and Walter Huston was just a cherry on top.

2. Tokyo Story(1953): This completes the trifecta of films from Blind Spots series last year that made it to the near top of this list. This was my introduction to Ozu and there are not many things that have blown me away like this. What's even more impressive is Ozu does that by being subtle and understated. With that almost bare-bone of a story, he manages to get maximum emotional response out of you. It may not be the most pleasant experience watching this but all I can say is everyone needs to watch this.

1. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days(2007): First time I heard about Cristian Mungiu was after Beyond the Hills(2012) debuted at Cannes in 2012. I saw it earlier this year and quite liked it as well. Then I went back and got hold of his first film soon after. Saying I was even more impressed by that would be an understatement of the year! There is so much intensity in every frame of this film that it almost suffocates the viewer as much as the characters we see on screen are suffocating. I thought Anamaria Marinca was utterly fascinating in that role and would absolutely LOVE to see more of her work. And then there is that one image in this film that I desperately want to un-see. If ever you could do that!

Here is to hoping that 2014 will bring many more great discoveries just like those on this list!!