The August/September Film Renaissance

I think I've seen more fantastic films over the past two months that I have all year. Normally this time of the year is fraught with terrible films appealing just to the back-to-school crowd and some late blooming action flicks. And yes, those films are out there (Without a Paddle, Anacondas) but there are also a bevy of excellent features out... some of which aren't exactly mainstream.

Collateral This is probably the most mainstream out of the films I've enjoyed over the past couple months. It's a pretty thrilling, and often hilarious, urban adventure movie from Michael Mann (who reached down from the heavens and gave us Miami Vice, Manhunter, and Heat). Normally I hate Jamie Foxx, this being caused by his awfulness on In Living Color, but he actually rocks pretty hard as the cab driver in the movie. Tom Cruise, who I really like, kicks butt as this hardened bounty hunter. The whole movie was filmed in digital, and purposefully has a thick digital camera look to it (which you might not be able to put a finger one... but you'll know it nonetheless). I also enjoyed the soundtrack, which I ended up getting. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a crazy urban drama.

Hero The number one move in the country for two weeks in a row last month. And for good reason! Alot of people I know didn't want to go see this because of its subtitles, but my Lord, the movie is amazing even if you have no clue about what's going on. Hero actually was released in China two years ago, and was nominated for an Oscar in 2002... but it took Miramax all that time to get this thing over here. The film takes place in the same Chinese fantasy universe that Crouching Tiger did, but it takes things a step further. The story itself is all told through flashbacks, much in the style of Kurosawa's Rashomon. But what really won me over, was the sheer beauty of the film. Each flashback is done in a different color, to represent the validity of the story being told, and each fight is choreographed perfectly. I left that movie breathless... and then I got the soundtrack to it.

Garden State I just saw this movie last night, and while watching this film I was reminded of how many amazing movies I've seen lately. This film pretty much blew my mind to little bits. It's superbly written, it has very well rounded characters, and probably the best soundtrack out of the bunch. It didn't hurt that I actually had the soundtrack before I saw the movie... and the movie managed to match its greatness. The film is about a guy who has moved from NJ to Hollywood to be an actor, and after spending his entire life on anti-depressants, he returns to NJ for his mother's funeral and stops taking his medication. What follows is four days in which he reconnects with all of this old highschool friends, his psychologist father, and an epileptic girl named Sam. The movie manages to be deeply touching, hilarious, and philosophical all within the 1hr 59min timeframe. This movie is kind of on its way out of the theaters right now, so catch it while you can!

Napoleon Dynamite Dum dum dumm! The best movie I've seen over the past two months, and possibly over the entire summer! A movie I knew nothing about when I went into it because the movie that reminded me how funny non-Woody Allen movies can sometimes be. Should I waste time talking about the plot? Well if it will get you to see this movie then... there really isn't a plot for the first half of the movie, but overall the film follows Napoleon, a high school student in Idaho, and his quest to get his Mexican friend Pedro Sanchez elected as school president. More important than the plot are the characters, who are all so bizarre, but hold amazing chemistry. They are all hilarious in different ways, and have more great catchphrases to quote than a Jay and Silent Bob movie. It's the first film for the writer/director Jared Hess and I'm hoping it won't be his last.

I've had such a busy week that my blogging has begun to suffer. But if I can impart any information to you to take into your weekend, let these four movies be it. You will thank me later.