This time of year is great for many reasons, but I especially love it because there are so many good movies… and since it’s awards season there are great copies of them available on the internet. I do pay for movies, don’t think I’m biting the hand that feeds, but I feel the need to see just about every movie that will be up for an oscar, and lord knows I’m not paying $9 for each of them.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a must see, it’s like Forest Gump 2.0 but really enjoyable and unique. Some of the visual effects were done at a studio that employs some friends, so that doesn’t hurt either. It’s the sort of movie that you could take your parents to, they’ll enjoy it just as much as you.
Valkyrie was alright, for a Hollywood movie it’s pretty accurate and Tom Cruise does a good job. Who ever casted Eddie Izzard as a Nazi is out of their mind though, I spent half the movie just wondering how the hell anyone could have thought he was a good fit. If you didn’t pay attention to any history class ever you’ll be held in suspense… OMG you mean Tom Cruise and an Executive Transvestite killed Hitler?!? But then again if you’re really leaning over to the person next to you to ask if they really did kill Hitler there are a few other movies in theaters that would entertain you.
Revolutionary Road was fantastic, it might just be my favorite movie of the year, although The Visitor is a tough movie to beat. DiCaprio is good but Kate Winslet definitely deserves an oscar for her performance. It’s directed by Sam Mendes, so you know it’s good, he’s the director of Road to Perdition and American Beauty among others.
Frost/Nixon was good, I can’t say that everyone will like it, you do have to be into history. The performances are good, and the Nixon impression looked dead on to me. Although I am twenty four years old and only remember the man’s funeral, so I’m probably not one to ask about that. The actual interviews were released on DVD a few months ago, I’ll have to buy (download) those too.
Gran Torino was a dissapointment. Eastwood is great, but the authentic (inexperienced) actors really brought it down. The plot is only ok, but Eastwood comes though with a great performance as a terrible racist and all around jerk… so it has that going for it. Eastwood’s character does drink a lot of PBR though, and there is some genuinely funny scenes between him and the young male supporting character.
The Wrestler was alright, the performances are the best part. It looks like balls, I don’t understand why directors settle for the look of video. You can shoot on video (which really isn’t much cheaper, that’s a myth) and still have a cinematic feel, there is no reason to just abandon all depth.
Defiance was just a normal movie, I’m not sure why I even downloaded it. Don’t waste your money… netflix it if you’re bored but it’s not really worth the price of admission at most theatres. Not Edward Zwick’s best work.
Slumdog Millionaire I’ve talked about, it was a good time.
The Visitor I’ve also talked about, it’s still my favorite of the year.
Doubt is the last movie I have yet to see that is getting Oscar buzz, there are no screeners so I’ve been trying to get to a theatre to see it, hopefully that’l happen this weekend. From what I’ve read the performances carry it, I’m not expecting to be blown away by the plot.
Go see some movies in the next few weeks, it’s not that expensive and there are some really great films out there.

All in all 2008 was a good year for me. I read an interesting article last week about how for just about anyone under the age of 70, this last year was probably the worst they had ever seen. The writer argued that all of the economic problems of the last twelve months added up to the worst year since 1938. Coupled with social unrest and the amount of violence in the world I might have to agree. I have no idea how most people can even begin to quantify that, but it does bring up and interesting point. I know so many people who are looking for work, those who had far less then the average American are now in an even worse situation and the world isn’t as peaceful as it’s been even in my short lifetime. I am however optimistic about the future, the economy will come back in time, new and more efficient ways can be implemented to help the world’s hungry and ending America’s own conflicts can only help to end others. There was a lot to be thankful for in 2008. I learned a lot at school, and am now in someways comfortable calling myself an artist. I can now support myself with my chosen profession. I no longer fear living alone or being without friends. I found something in a friendship that I never had seen before… I learned a lot about myself and how to deal with heartbreak. I learned that I miss my family more then I thought. I was able to begin to deepen my faith for the first time in a while. I’ve become a stronger, better person in the last year, I’m proud of that.

One of my roommates admitted yesterday that he has no idea what is going on with Isreal and the Palestinians. I shamed him but he didn’t care, I really don’t understand that mentality. We live in a democracy, that means that as a citizen you have to educate yourself to be able to participate in our own government. What’s happening now is the result of a terrible situation but I would really like to see our country take a firm stance against the sort of violence that is taking place. Raining down rockets indiscriminately is wrong, but so is destroying an entire neighborhood to kill one adversary. I’m not linking articles because you should know what I’m talking about. Honestly, if you don’t at least know there has been a rise in violence in the last couple of weeks you really need to shift your priorities, it only takes a few minutes to swing by cnn.com once and a while.

David Hildreth

Merry Christmas :)
It’s nothing like Christmas here, except for the little christmas tree that sits on my desk. I got to see my parents last weekend in Vegas, which was great. My father brought me a gift but the problem, well the problem he saw, was that there would be no tree to put the gift under. So Target came to the rescue and I showed up to find a little tree complete with lights and an angel on top. It even survived being shoved in my suitcase and now brings cheer to the whole house… well kinda. Bachelor houses don’t usually have a christmas tree, or any festive decoration. A friend asked why we didn’t have any lights up like our neighbors, and I told her that I would put lights up if she promised to not give me shit about them being up year round. It’s just an unwritten rule that twenty something straight guys don’t decorate. When I brought my tree home it was relegated to my room, that’s just how it is.

If you don’t know who Danny Boyle is you’re a terrible human being. I went to go see his latest: Slumdog Millionaire and no one I went with had any idea who the director was. It’s a shame because the guy has really had a pretty amazing career. He’s just a director that pretty much always makes a great movie, and not just one type of movie either. He stays away from the studios and has to fight for every film but most turn out great. Slumdog is about a young Indian guy who ends up on the local version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He grew up in a Bombay slum and while he was out doing anything he could to survive his slum was transformed with the rest of the city into Mumbai, a center of commerce and industry. After doing well on the show he is suspected of cheating and relives his life to explain how he picked up the answers to questions an uneducated slumdog never should have known. It’s a great movie so go see it, take the whole family.

Things seem to be have new beginnings lately, not just in my favorite topic of discussion, but in most aspects of my life. It’s not cold and barren here in Tempe, and I think that helps. Nothing is dead here, it’s all still alive, the sky is still just as blue as it is in May. It does a lot for one’s spirit. My new contract job is working out so far, school is going to be over before I know it and things are looking up socially. I have a lot to be grateful for this holiday season, and I’m making a point to stop wondering about what could have been and to just focus on what I have.

Just incase you were wondering… this post’s soundtrack (facebook people follow the original post button below) is that Belle and Sebastian song, you know the one we’ve been listening to and enjoying. I’ve been watching High Fidelity just about every other day lately. It’s just what I need right now.

David Hildreth

I saw No Country For Old Men a few days ago, and after having a few days to mull it over I think I’m ready to call it the best movie I’ve seen this year. There was a lot in the movie to think about and while I certainly don’t worship the brothers Coen they have really done a masterful job of telling this story. As is often true, I wasn’t sure of my opinion when the movie ended, but I did know that I liked the ending. The guys sitting in front of us didn’t, I guess things weren’t wrapped up as tightly as they would have liked. It did end abruptly and generally unresolved, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good ending. From the reviews I read the ending was most people’s biggest problem, others didn’t like the seemingly senseless violence. Which I’m not a huge fan of, but thats pretty much what the movie was about. So if you are willing to watch a complex movie and pay attention to the characters definitely go see No Country For Old Men, it’s worth $9.

That being said I also saw something very different a couple of weeks ago. Southland Tales is Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly’s second movie… and man is it complex. I loved Donnie Darko, it’s strange and deep, I’ve seldom had as much fun as I had discussing that movie with people. However, a while after Donnie Darko came the Director’s Cut, which is awful. Southland Tales is basically every bad part of the director’s cut of DD stretched out to three hours. Southland Tales was very long, and I felt every minute of it. The story has lots of characters and lots of dialogue and while it is insightful and funny there was just too much. About an hour into the movie about 10 people in the theatre had already walked out, which is a mistake because if they had stayed for the whole things they might have liked it. Despite it’s length and how tedious the story felt the end wrapped everything up into something that was satisfying. I liked the movie, it’s not the best thing i’ve seen in a while but I liked it and will see it again. The movie could have been so much more though, and that is frustrating. First off the first half of the plot was told in a series of three comic books… I didn’t know this and because I can’t find them for free I still haven’t read them. Expecting your audience to already know half the plot is a mistake. I don’t care how much advertising they could have done for the comics (there was basically none) most people aren’t going to read them before seeing the movie. The second big problem with the movie was what made me hate the Director’s Cut of DD… titles. Kelly used full screen titles to explain plot and breakup the three acts, which is un-needed in a movie and really just made me want to hate the convoluted plot. If the plot of your movie needs to be explained in such a blunt manner you’re story needs to be simplified or shortened.. that’s pretty much it. If you get a chance go see Southland Tales, but it’s probably better to just wait for the DVD.

In other news I’ve finalized my holiday travel plans. I’ll be in Boise from December 20th until January 7th so if you’ll be in Boise too let me know and we’ll hang out. While it’s nice here in Tempe it’l be fun to experience some weather again, maybe even some snow if I’m lucky.

Everyone should also go and check out www.synthar.com. There you’ll find an awesome band who just put out their first record… which you should purchase. I’ve only listened to it once through, so I’ll maybe talk about it later but It’s really solid stuff from some hard working artists and there are no record companies involved… you can’t go wrong with that.

Laters,
Dave