Dec 7, 2015

Sean Baker's Tangerine is my new number one. Watch it on Netflix. Especially you @Pinhead

 

Dec 8, 2015

@Charlie Strangelove Caught it last month. Very dope, although I can't say I'm as big a fan of it as you are. While its representation of trans people is to be admired, comedic subplots and their eventual payoff too often take away from the immediacy of the concept, disrupting the mood established by the vibrancy of its visuals and characters. For all that Baker gets out of his camera work, characterization, and locale, the impact of the rather serious subject matter is traded in for hysterics, leaving the inherent dramatic weight of the story lost in capturing the vivacity of his performers. Tangerine ultimately ends up finding emotional resonance through those hysterics in its final stretch, but by then its thrown away too many possibilities for profundity to give much significance to its technical artifices.

It's currently #16 for me in 2015, but I just wish there was something more to hold onto after the fact.

 

Dec 8, 2015

I thought of it less as a drama held back by comedic and stylistic elements, than as a comedy elevated by dramatic and stylistic elements. The way it crosses the wires by finding humor in unsavory situations is no different from the way it finds beauty in them visually. The whole "beautiful lie" aspect of LA that it talks about explains a lot to me. By the end, all of the affectations are stripped away and we're left with a very genuine moment between friends. Most of what you're saying reminds me of how I felt about Frank last year, though I was a lot less forgiving. I guess it all comes down to how you personally resolve the shifts in tone. I just found an explanation that worked for me and adds to the film.

That said, if we're ever going put a indie comedy in league with le serious art film this is the one.

 

Dec 8, 2015

@Charlie Strangelove i actually watched tangerine last night for the first time and rly enjoyed it. echo your thoughts about how organic the story and characters are -- all the more remarkable given how kinetic the film looks/feels. that said, a part of me questions whether the critical embrace around the film IS bc of its implicit politics. kind of how people raved about kids are alright a few yrs back

anyway, ive taken the liberty of publishing my top ten, etc. on huffpost. take a peak:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-hoglund-/my-2015-film-awards-ballot_b_8743732.html

 

Dec 8, 2015

Cool list! Interesting to see Anomalisa at the top.

Your ballot also reminded me what a weak year it's been for lead actor performances (with all due respect to Kevin Corrigan who is indeed awesome in Results). There have been many solid turns, but no real standout, great performance imo. The closest for me is perhaps Jacob Tremblay in the Room. Anyone I'm forgetting?

 

Dec 8, 2015

It's bizarre. And I'm pretty sure they are going to campaign Tremblay for Supporting. Or Keaton winning Actor from NYFCA. It's refreshing in a way, but also crazy a fair amount of the most discussed male performances are ~supporting.steve carell for big short, paul dano for love n mercy

This year has been strong for ensembles which might be another factor

 

Dec 8, 2015

Depp's best work is in Public Enemies

 

Dec 8, 2015

Fear & Loathing was his Capote

 

Dec 8, 2015

Michael B Jordan & Channing Tatum obvs

 

Dec 8, 2015

Did you really think Depp was bad? I thought the movie was underwhelming and all over the place but I thought Depp was good.

 

Dec 8, 2015

No doubt it is. Politics are always going to be a part of criticism. I'm sure residents of LA were smelling their own farts on their way out of the theater.

 

Dec 9, 2015

Gilbert grape

Yeah I thought it was the same s--- we always see, just in a different kind of movie. Relies on makeup/protesetics too much, hammy

 

Dec 9, 2015

Dead Man

 

Jan 2, 2016

Bump

 

Jan 6, 2016

This year was horrible to me. I barely saw films this year so im out of the discussion. Hope i get back on rail in 2016, however, i must say Carol should be on everyone's list because i doubt there are 10 better movies than that one.

 

Jan 6, 2016

I'm getting closer, give me a few more weeks please!!

 

Jan 10, 2016

There are some key films I haven't seen, but at 78 films seen this year (US release dates), I probably have seen enough for reasonable lists.

Best Films
1. The Look of Silence
2. Phoenix
3. Carol
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
5. Taxi Tehran
6. Creed
7. Inside Out
8. 45 Years
9. Anomalisa
10. Heart of a Dog

Honorable Mention: Girlhood, It Follows, Chi-Raq, Jauja, Clouds of Sils Maria, The Kindergarten Teacher, Timbuktu, Mistress America, Hard to Be a God, The Assassin

Full list: http://letterboxd.com/aversaci/list/2015-ranked/

Key Films I haven't seen: Horse Money, In Jackson Heights, Li'l Quinquin, Eden, Amour Fou, The Experimenter, Magic Mike XXL, End of the Tour, Black Mass, Bone Tomahawk, The Mend, Straight Outta Compton, Love & Mercy, James White, Tu Dors Nicole

Best Actor
1. Michael B. Jordan, Creed
2. Tom Courtenay, 45 Years
3. Jacob Tremblay, Room
4. Samuel L. Jackson, The Hateful Eight
5. Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Best Actress (Couldn't limit to just 5)
1. Rooney Mara, Carol
2. Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
3. Nina Hoss, Phoenix
4. Cate Blanchett, Carol
5. Arielle Holmes, Heaven Knows What
6. Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
7. Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor
1. Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
2. Sylvester Stallone, Creed
3. Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
4. Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
5. Michael Keaton, Spotlight

Best Supporting Actress
1. Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria
2. Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
3. Rose Byrne, Spy
4. Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
5. Hana Saeidi, Taxi

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road; Runner-Up- Todd Haynes, Carol

Best Cinematography: Edward Lachman, Carol; Runner-Up- Roger Deakins, Sicario

Best Score: Carter Burwell, Carol; Runner-Up- Rich Vreeland, It Follows

Best Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa; Runner-Up- Phyllis Nagy, Carol

Great films I saw in 2015 that weren't yet released in US: Right Now, Wrong Then; The Lobster; Cemetery of Splendour

 

Jan 11, 2016

just need a few more key fims

 

Jan 20, 2016

1. Jurassic World

 

Jan 21, 2016

1) Steve Jobs
2) Creed
3) Inside Out
4) Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
5) Mad Max: Fury Road
6) Kingsman: The Secret Service
7) The Revenant
8) The Martian
9) Ex Machina
10) Sicario