The 2008 Donna Awards

Best Picture
Changeling – Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Brain Grazer
MILK – Bruce Cohin, Dan Jinks, Michael London
Slumdog Millionaire – Christian Coloson
Tropic Thunder – Stuart Cornfield, Eric Mcleod, Ben Stiller
Wrestler – Darren Aronofsky and Scott Franklin

Best Director
Changeling – Clint Eastwood
MILK – Gus Van Sant
Tropic Thunder – Ben Stiller
Slumdog Millionaire – Danny Boyle
Wrestler – Darren Aronofsky

Best Actor
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Leonardo D’Caprio – Revolutionary Road
Sam Rockwell – Snow Angels

Best Actress
Catinca Untaru – The Fall
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Anjelina Jolie – Changeling
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Melissa Leo – Frozen River

Best Supporting Actor
James Franco - Milk
Robert Downy Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Brad Pitt – Burn After Reader
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Haaz Sleiman – The Visitor

Best Supporting Actress
Samantha Morton – Synedoche, New York
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Frances Mcdormened – Burn After Reading
Taraji P Henson – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Best Ensemble
MILK
Tropic Thunder
Wrestler
Slumdog
Burn After Reading

Best Writing Original
Changeling – J. Michael Stracyzski
MILK – Dustin Lance Black
Wrestler – Robert Siegal
Baghead – Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass
The Visitor – Thomas McCarthy

Best Writing Adapted
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Eric Roth and Robin Scwincord
The Reader – David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire – Simon Beafuae
The Fall – Dan Gilroy, Nico Soultankis, Tarsem Sighn
Frost/Nixon – Peter Morgan

Cinematography
MILK – Harris Savidade
The Fall – Colin Watkinson
Slumdog Millionaire – Anthony Dod Mantle
Tropic Thunder – John Toll
The Reader – Roger Deakins and Chris Menges

Editing
The Fall – Robert Duffy
Slumdog Millionaire – Chris Dickens
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Kim Baxter and Angus Wall
Tropic Thunder – Greg Hayden
Wrestler – Andrew Wiesblum

Art Direction
Slumdog Milionaire – Michelle Day
Tropic Thunder – Ralph Grot, Richard L. Johnson, Dan Webster
Wrestler – Matthew Munn
Changeling – James Man
MILK – Charley Beal

Costume
The Fall – Ekio Ishika
Wrestler – Amy Westcott
Changeling – Debi Hopper
Slumdog Millionaire – Sturrat Anne Larlarb
MILK – Danny Glicker

Sound
Tropic Thunder – Steve Cantamess
Slumdog Millionaire – Resul Pookutty
The Dark Night – Ed Novick
Wrestler – Ken Kshii
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Mark Wiengarten

Make-Up
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Stacy Hubert
Tropic Thunder – Carlton Coleman
Wrestler – Judy Chin

Best Music
The Visitor – Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Tropic Thunder – Theodore Shapiro
Doubt – Howard Shore
MILK – Danny Elfman
Changeling – Clint Eastwood

Best Original Song
"Little Person" - Synecdoche, NY
"The Wrestler" - The Wrestler
"Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire

Documentary
Gonzo
Final Inch
Man On Wire
Bigger Stronger
Young at Heart

Nomination Tally: (Best Picture Nominees in bold)
12 The Wrestler
10 Slumdog Millionaire
10 Tropic Thunder
9 Milk
6 Changeling
5 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5 The Fall
3 Burn After Reading
3 Doubt
3 The Reader
3 The Visitor
2 The Dark Knight
2 Frost/Nixon
2 Synecdoche, NY
1 Baghead
1 Bigger Stronger Faster
1 Final Inch
1 Frozen River
1 Gonzo
1 Man On Wire
1 Revolutionary Road
1 Snow Angels
1 Young at Heart

Drew's Thoughts:
An interesting line-up at the Donnas this year. There are some noticeable differences from the Drews which keeps things interesting.
I was ecstatic to see Tropic Thunder pick up picture and director (though how did it get forgotten in Original Screenplay?!) and, I think it's interesting how The Wrestler continued to dominate taking home 12(!) nominations. I wasn't sure if it would connect to the PFA, but I'm glad it has. I was also happy to see Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand get more recognition. I have to say though, Doubt got shafted. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams were snubbed, and how it did not get nominated for Adapted Screenplay I'll never know. I wasn't as big of a fan of Changeling or Slumdog so I think they were over-nominated here but, hey, you gotta respect a maverick like Donna who gives them a combined 16 nominations when no one else does.
Colleen's Thoughts:
Happy to See: I was happy to see Slumdog Millionaire get some love from someone. I enjoyed the film and think it maybe it should have got more noms at the Colleen's but some of its flaws stopped me from doing so. I think everyone enjoyed the scene Drew describes in his review (where he gets the celebs signature poop-covered)and so Slumdog deserves from love. I was also happy to see MILK nominated for best picture and Catinca Untaru nominated for best actress (that had some influence on the Colleen's).
Not So Happy to See: Like Drew I am sad that Doubt didn't get due recognition in the picture category, screenplay categories and acting categories. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was great in that film and so I feel he deserved a nom. I also would have changed up the best actress category (as my noms show) and had Blanchett and Hawkins in there. Also, disappointed it seems Hunger was forgotten especially in the sound category.
Hopes for the Donnas:I am excited to see how the Donnas will turn out. I think it will be interesting to see what wins best picture. I am of course hoping that Streep takes home the Donna and that Doubt and MILK make good showings. I am also hoping that The Fall with its tremendous technical work is reognized. It should be a good Donnas.

2008 Joe Awards

Best Picture
The Wrestler - Darren Aronofsky and Scott Franklin

Best Actor
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress
Meryl Streep - Doubt

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Doubt

Best Adapted Screenplay
David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan, Johnathan Nolan - The Dark Knight

Best Original Screenplay
Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass - Baghead

Best Cinematography
Roger Deakins - Revolutionary Road

Best Score
John Williams - Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skulls

Best Editing
Greg Hayden - Tropic Thunder

Best Art-Direction
Kelly Curry, Randy Moore, and Tom Reta - The Curious Case of Benjamin Buton

Best Costume
Debi Hopper - Changeling

Best Make-up
John Caglione, Latrice Edwards, and Vivian Guzman - The Dark Knight

Best Sound Editing
Larry Blake and Mike Chock - Che

Best Sound Mixing
Ed Novick - The Dark Knight

Life Time Achievement Award - Karl Malden

4 The Dark Knight
3 The Wrestler
2 Doubt
1 Baghead
1 Changeling
1 Che
1 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
1 Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
1 Revolutionary Road
1 Tropic Thunder

2008 Phillip Award Nominees

Best Picture

Baghead – Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass - Baghead
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Cean Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall
The Dark Knight – Christopher Nolan , Charles Roven and Emma Thomas
Milk – Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks
The Wrestler – Darren Aronofsky and Scott Franklin

Best Director

Gus Van Sant – Milk
Christopher Nolan – The Dark Knight
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Darren Aronofsky – The Wrestler

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Sean Penn – Milk
Benicio Del Toro – Che
Steve Zissis – Baghead
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Kate Winslet – The Reader
Sally Hawkins – Happy Go Lucky
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Beckinsale – Snow Angels

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder
Brad Pitt – Burn After Reading
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Anil Kapoor – Slumdog Millionaire
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frances McDormand – Burn After Reading
Viola Davis - Doubt
Amy Adams – Doubt

Best Writing, Original Screenplay

Robert D. Siegel – The Wrestler
Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass – Baghead
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Ben Stiller and Justin Throux – Tropic Thunder
Mike Leigh – Happy Go Lucky

Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay

Peter Morgan – Frost/Nixon
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Peter Buchman and Ernesto Che Guevara – Che
Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, and David S. Goyer – The Dark Knight

Best Cinematography

Maryse Alberti – The Wrestler
Roger Deakins – Doubt
Claudio Miranda – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Colin Watkinson – The Fall
Wally Pfister – The Dark Knight

Best Editing

Elliot Graham – Milk
Greg Hayden – Tropic Thunder
Lee Smith – The Dark Knight
Andrew Wiseblum – The Wrestler
Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration

Jeff Mann – Tropic Thunder
Kristi Zea and Debra Schutt – Revolutionary Road
Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Michelle Day – Slumdog Millionaire
Nathan Crowley and Peter Lando – The Dark Knight

Best Costume Design

Jacqueline Durran – Happy Go Lucky
Lindy Hemming – The Dark Knight
Jacqueline West – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Albert Wolsky – Revolutionary Raod
Marlene Stewart – Tropic Thunder

Best Sound Mixing

Mark Weingarten – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Antonio Betancourt – Che
Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg and Gary Rizzo – The Dark Knight
Peter Hliddal – Defiance
Steve Cantamessa and Jason Oliver – Tropic Thunder

Best Sound Editing

Ren Klyce – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gabriel Gutierez - Che
Richard King – The Dark Knight
Lon Bender – Defiance
Craig Henighan – Tropic Thunder

Best Makeup

Heather Plott – Tropic Thunder
Jean Ann Black – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione Jr. – The Dark Knight

Best Music, Original Score

Alexandre Desplat – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Danny Elfman - Milk
John Williams – Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
James Newton Howard - Defiance
James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer – The Dark Knight

Best Music, Original Song
Bruce Springsteen – The Wrestler

Nomination Tally(Best Pictures in Bold)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – 13
The Dark Knight – 12
Tropic Thunder – 8
The Wrestler – 7
Milk – 6
Doubt – 5
Che – 4
Baghead – 3
Happy Go Lucky – 3
Defiance – 3
Frost/Nixon – 2
Burn After Reading – 2
Slumdog Millionaire – 2
Revolutionary Road – 2
The Reader – 1
Frozen River – 1
Snow Angels – 1
The Fall – 1
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - 1

Drew's Thoughts:
I think the Phils turned out to be a little bit too much like Joes for my taste.
I'm happy to see he shared by sentiments for Benicio but not so happy to see shares Joe's sentiments for Steve Zissis. Very happy to see Brad and Frances and the cast of Doubt represented. One big WTF is where is Bob Downey????? How did Tom Cruise get nominated over him? Glad Button got a score nom, Brad got recognized by someone else for his fantastic work in that film. Though I don't really understand why Ron Howard got a Best Director nom when Frost/Nixon's directorial quality was on par with a TV movie, I respect Phil for blazing his own trail and nominating him. However, nominating Snow Angels ONLY for Kate Beckinsale is just nonsensical.

2008 Joe Award Nominees

Best Picture

Baghead – Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Cean Chaffin, Kathleen, Frank Marshmall
The Dark Knight – Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas
Milk – Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, Michael London
The Wrestler – Darren Aronofsky and Scott Franklin

Best Actor

Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Synchedoche, New York
Sean Penn – Milk
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Steve Zissis – Baghead

Best Actress

Kate Beckinsale – Snow Angels
Sally Hawkins – Happy Go Lucky
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky – The Wrestler
David Fincher – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan – The Dark Knight
Ben Stiller – Tropic Thunder
Gus Van Sant – Milk

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Nicky Katt – Snow Angels
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Brad Pitt – Burn After Reading

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams – Doubt
Kristin Davis – Sex and The City
Samantha Morton – Synecdoche, New York
Misty Upham – Frozen River
Kate Winslet – The Reader

Best adapted Screenplay

David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan, Johnathan Nolan – The Dark Knight
David Gordon Green – Snow Angels
Peter Morgan – Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth and Robin Scwicord – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley – Doubt

Best Original Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black – Milk
Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass – Baghead
Charlie Kauffman – Synedoche, New York
Robert Siegal – The Wrestler
Ben Stiller and Justin Throux – Tropic Thunder

Best Cinematography

Maryse Alberti – The Wrestler
Roger Deakins – Revolutionary Road
Claudio Miranda – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister – The Dark Knight
Colin Watkinson – The Fall

Best Score

Jon Brion – Synechdoche, New York
Carter Burwell – Burn After Reading
Clint Mansell – The Wrestler
John Williams – Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer – The Dark Knight

Best Editing

Tariq Anwar – Revolutionary Road
Greg Hayden – Tropic Thunder
Lee Smith – The Dark Knight
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Andrew Wiseblum – The Wrestler

Best Art Direction

Ricardo Puglise and Cynthia Sietler – The Fall
Kelly Curry, Randy Moore, and Tom Reta – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Theo Sena – The Wrestler
Pat Sullivan – Changeling
Adam Stockhousen and Lydia Marks – Synechdoche, New York

Best Costume

Lindy Hemming – The Dark Knight
Debi Hopper – Changeling
Marlene Stewart – Tropic Thunder
Melissa Toth – Synecdoche New York
Amy Westcott – The Wrestler

Best Makeup

John Caglione, Latrice Edwards, Vivian Guzman – The Dark Knight
Judy Chin – Synechdoce, New York
Stacy Herbert – The Curios Case of Benjamin Button

Best Sound Editing

Benjamin Beardwood and Jim Brookeshire – Tropic Thunder
Jeroen Damon and Michael Babcock – The Dark Knight
Larry Blake and Mike Chock – Che

Best Sound Mixing

Steve Cantamess – Tropic Thunder
Ken Kshii – The Wrestler
Ed Novick – The Dark Knight
Aitar Alandre and Thomas Varga – Che
Mark Wiengarten – The Curios Case Of Benjamin Button

Nomination Tally: Best Picture Nominees in BOLD
The Dark Knight 11
The Wrestler 10
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 8
Tropic Thunder 8
Synecdoche, NY 7
Doubt 4
Milk 4
Baghead 3
Changeling 3
Snow Angels 3
Che 2
The Fall 2
Frozen River 2
Revolutionary Road 2
Burn After Reading 2
Frost/Nixon 1
Happy-Go-Lucky 1
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull 1
The Reader 1
Sex and the City 1

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
Well, I have to say I'm quite surprised that The Dark Knight, a film Joe has derided since the day it came out, dominated here taking down 11 nominations, more than any other film. I'm glad Joe came around to liking The Dark Knight but, wow, this is shocking.
Happy to see: Stiller in Director, No Leo D. in actor, Leo/Streep in actress, Pitt in supporting, Adams in supporting, Snow Angels in adapted, Cinematography/Art Direction noms for the Fall, Burwell and Zimmer/Howard in score, Good showing for Synecdoche, NY particularly Art Direction, Baxter/Wall and Weisblum in editing, Tropic Thunder in sound.
Not so happy to see: Tropic Thunder with no picture nom, Baghead with anything, No Rockwell or Pitt in Actor (BULLSHIT!), Downey in wrong category, Beckinsale over Blanchett, Van Sant in Director (WTF?), Misty Upham in supporting over Frances McDormand and Viola Davis (Unacceptable!), Cinematography and editing for Rev Road and not Doubt, any noms for In Diana Jones 4, No Tropic Thunder in Makeup.
Just plain confused: Wrestler for Score
Based on the nominees, I'm predicting The Wrestler to take home Best Picture at the Joes.

Colleen Kenny's Thoughts:
I, like Drew, was shocked that The Dark Knight got so many nominations after having listened to his rant of why it was much worse than Batman Begins. In the words of Joan Cusack "That is schocking."
Happy to See: I am happy to see Sex and the City the movie get a nom. I am also happy that The Fall got a cinematog nom, that Doubt got its dues in the acting categories (for the most part), happy that Samantha Morton made her way into best supporting actress and I am happy Milk got its dues.
Not Happy to see: Kate Beckinsale in the best actress category and NO Sam Rockwell (come on a million times better than Zissis). Have you been reading the excellent reviews by Donna and Drew of Snow Angels? Terribly disappointed to see Doubt not nominated for best pic and the Dark Knight and Baghead nominated?! Also, where was Viola Davis? Hell of a lot better than Misty Upham.
Hopes for the Joes:
I am hoping Baghead and Dark Night don't win best picture. Mainly my hope is that Baghead walks away empty handed (optimistic I know.) I also hope that Doubt and Milk produce some wins at the Joes as they are clearly the top 2 films of the year.
I can't say much more because the Colleen's have yet to be announced.

Slumdog Millionaire

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I had a kinda interesting experience leading up to seeing Slumdog Millionaire. I heard about it probably halfway through last year and I like Danny Boyle generally (I’m a big fan of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later) and it seemed like an odd little story so I was intrigued. As the film went to festivals and so forth people were raving about it and I heard bits and pieces about it, like there was a fantastical Bollywood finish where the cast sings and dances. I was intrigued even more thinking this would be a self-aware take on the Bollywood-style filmmaking fantasy. Then I started seeing clips and the trailer for the film and not being too impressed I tempered my expectations quite a bit. When I finally did see the film, judging by my initial expectations the film is pretty underwhelming but judging by my second set of expectations the film was okay.
There is one scene in the film that really maximizes the potential of the film and that is when youngest Jamal is locked in an outhouse when his favorite celebrity touches down in a helicopter nearby. He pulls a picture of the star from clothes and jumps in the sea of shit beneath him taking care to reach the picture as far above his head as possible to keep it untarnished. He then runs towards the helicopter, his poop-drenched body shoving its way through the crowd and finally succeeding in getting his picture signed. When he does this he screams in triumph. It’s a great sequence, full of energy, humor and something weirdly fantastical. If the whole film carried this essence it would have been a great film, the problem is that scene is the only scene in the film that carries that essence.
Slumdog Millionaire isn’t a bad film but a number of problems beset it. One of the most glaring to me is the entire cast is out-acted by 8 year olds. The youngest Jamal is infinitely more magnetic and talented than the constantly blank-faced Dev Patel (oldest Jamal) who seems to be getting all the credit (and award nominations). The portion of the story with the youngest incarnations of the characters contains some of magic the film is striving for. However, that portion of the film is only about 25-30 minutes. I’m pretty confident that if the film had been written for only those young versions of the characters the film would have fared much better. Because of this I started out engaged in the film but by the end I had nothing invested in the film. I could have cared less whether Jamal gets the girl, in fact I would have been more impressed if he didn’t. At least it would have shaken up the obviousness of the storytelling by not delivering the easily predictable ending.
Of course, I can’t blame the whole thing on the actors. The script by Simon Beaufoy is probably mostly to blame because, while it as the classic Dickens orphan-transforming-himself-to-succeed-in-the-end thing, it is devoid of the self-aware spark that it takes to pull a fantasy like this off. The plotline of the film is entirely ridiculous which isn’t a bad thing by itself but the world that is created for the plotline (with the exception of the scene described earlier) is much, much too serious for it to have any integrity or plausibility. The film is caught somewhere between wanting to be a fantastical fable and wanting to be a realistic depiction of Mumbai slums. This vacillation between the two routes causes it to go nowhere worthwhile. It somehow just ends up being a generic Hollywood tale, but set in India.
We’re dropped into the harsh (no irony there) world of the slums, apparently run by men inexplicably making a fortune off of child beggars, gangsters and gameshow hosts. Jamal then proceeds to answer every question correctly on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, convince corrupt cops he wasn’t cheating by telling them his life story, and his dick brother, who hasn’t a nice bone in his body the whole story, all of a sudden martyrs himself so Jamal and Latika can be together forever. To quote The Big Lebowski, “The story is ludicrous.” Unlike The Big Lebowski’s ludicrous story which is very much in tune with how ludicrous it is, Slumdog’s ludicrous story seems to be entirely unaware it’s so ludicrous. It seems that that right there is the fateful reason the film fails to achieve greatness. The film really needed a sense of irony or even just a sense of humor about itself for it to work as a fantasy but it sorely lacks that essential element.
Furthermore, I’m a fan of Danny Boyle (who directed) and Chris Dickens (who edited this, as well as, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) but I wasn’t too taken with their work on this film. Their aim is obvious; imbue the film with a highly energetic buzz. It doesn’t quite work. For all the kinetics and quick cuts, the style suffers from a certain falseness. Instead of capturing and harnessing the raw energy of Mumbai, the film’s “energy” feels very transparently produced, glossy and, frankly, phony. The film’s score (by A.R. Rahman) suffers from this even more so. Aside from one piece of pretty good music, the pumped up electro-global sounds sound corny and fake. It sounds more like I’m listening to the radio in a Cruis’n World video game than I am hearing a film score. Maybe it’s just because I knew who M.I.A. was prior to seeing this, but her inclusion in the soundtrack was confusing. She’s Sri Lankan for one, and her presence does not give off any sort of Mumbai or India vibe; it seems more like cross-marketing than anything. And “Latika’s Theme” is just unbearably awful and it gets played over and over again. Also, after all, that “fantastical Bollywood finish” I was waiting for is actually the two stars and others dancing (not even singing) in a subway station over the end credits. It was stupid. The filmmakers’ thought process astounds me. At this point your film has ended, and now you make a half-assed toss to “Indian culture”? Whatever…
Alright, alright. With as much criticizing as I’ve done, I liked the movie okay. At least I think I did. I may have just become aware of how much disdain for the movie I actually have.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is a documentary by Marina Zenovich about the infamous Roman Polanski rape trial from the seventies. It was very interesting film recounting just what a joke the trial ended up being due to unlawful and ridiculous conduct by the publicity-seeking judge.
I appreciate the balance of the filmmaker because despite the circus the
trial ended up being, she still acknowledges the facts, that Polanski (director of Chinatown, The Pianist, children's movie Oliver Twist among others) is a man who admittedly gave alcohol and a Quaalude to a 13 year old girl and had sex with her, possibly raping her (the issue is a bit fuzzy). My personal feelings toward Polanski didn't change at all, he's still a disgusting, smarmy prick and not a great filmmaker in my eyes. Also, regardless of the way the trial went, he still has been, and is, a fugitive of the U.S. who refuses to be put on trial for crimes he admitted to.
Enough of the rant against Polanski. The film is well put together and paced, certainly one of the best documentaries of the year. The most interesting talking heads in the doc, were the two attorneys in the case. It was interesting to see the offense and defense attorneys agree and sympathize with each other throughout the case because of the judge's crazy actions. There isn't too much to say about the film itself other than summarizing the story it tells--which I'm not gonna do. It's well done, and definitely worth seeing and Lorenzo Semple (of Reel Geezers fame) makes a pretty funny surprise appearance.

The Wrestler

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
(Warning: I reveal some plot points, in case someone hasn't seen this yet)
Darren Aronofsky changes up his style yet again with The Wrestler, following up his transcendent, grandiose sci-fi picture The Fountain with another gritty film, but minus the stylization of his masterpiece (thus far) Requiem for a Dream.
There are three stars of this film in my opinion, Aronfsky's direction, Bruce Springsteen's plaintive, soulful title song and, probably the most important, Mickey Rourke. Rourke gives a sensational, lived-in performance. His performance feels effortless, in a way that even though you can recognize Mickey Rourke, you are watching The Ram--there is no distinction between the two. He conveys so much with one glance. The tale is a simple character study of a man coping with being past his prime but the film runs much deeper than that.
From the little bit we get of his past, it seems that Randy "The Ram" Robinson has been a wrestler for as long as he cares to remember. I'm sure it was a long 20 years as Randy aged and fell from popularity, performing in increasingly smaller arenas (read: rec centers.) Though, he's no longer a star, The Ram is still doing the one thing he knows, and the source of his identity: professional wrestling. We learn that Randy was born Robin Randzinski which he can’t stand to be called. Robin is not his identity. He is The Ram. Randy has an unwavering dedication to wrestling that goes beyond just a love of wrestling; wrestling is something he needs. When the audience meets Randy, his body is at its breaking point and when a doctor tells him that in his condition wrestling is not a good idea, Randy pleads "but I'm a professional wrestler!"
Initially taking the advice, he tries to take on a more normal life. His job at a grocery store, formerly part time to supplement the meager income his career (wrestling) produces, becomes full time. Lonely and without wrestling to put his energy into, he courts a stripper (Marisa Tomei) at a local club who suggests he patch things up with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). His commitment to wrestling earlier in his life left no room to be a good boyfriend/husband and especially a good father. Despite his good intentions, he is not a good father and doesn't know how to be one and he knows this. Randy is a generally warm, kind person but judging by his interactions with the kids in his trailer park (playing video games, gentle play wrestling) he is more suited to be that fun uncle you see occasionally rather than a parent. In a moving scene, Randy confesses to his daughter "I'm a broken down piece of meat, and I deserve to be all alone." It's true; Randy knows it, his daughter knows it, the audience knows it. Even though it's his fault there's a tragedy about it. He's not a bad guy, I don't want him to be all alone but Randy accepts that it is the way it should be, just as the audience has to accept it.
Even though the script, by Robert D. Siegel (first time screenwriter and former editor of The Onion), is pretty formulaic it redeems that characteristic by feeling authentic. The protagonist does not get the girl, does not reunite with his daughter, and he does not make some triumphant Rocky Balboa-type comeback, in spite of his failing body. He comes to terms with his situation and with his life; he is a wrestler and if he can't be a wrestler he won't be anything else. This authenticity is imbued by Rourke but also by Aronofsky's sure handed direction. I appreciate the way Aronofsky approached the subject of wrestling. He doesn't ridicule it and he doesn't glorify it but he has enough respect for his subject to show it how it is. We see the brotherly affection between wrestlers who are arch-nemeses in the ring. We see veterans mentoring younger wrestlers, and a number of times we see the process in which they choreograph their fights. We also see the steroids that are used to keep aging bodies big and strong. We see the battered bodies after the match and the physical cost of the profession. Aronofsky, never known for shying away from his subject matter, creates a few intense, well-done sequences where we see that even though the animosity is fake and the victory is fake--the blood is still real. Shot by Maryse Alberti (Gonzo) who creates a very real, documentary-style feel to the film, Aronofsky uses Alberti's handheld camera to follow Rourke constantly, creating the sensation of him entering the ring even when he's entering the deli counter. This reaffirms visually that whatever venue he's in, he's a wrestler.
During the end credits Bruce Springsteen’s title song plays and it really encapsulates the spirit of the film. On any given year I bitch about the existence of a best song category and how there’s no reason to award a song at a ceremony designed to award excellence in film making, it’s just a marketing ploy and blah blah blah. Not so this year, provided Springsteen wins (he better; EDIT: the Academy Award Best Song category is just as much a worthless piece of shit this year as it ever was). The song is a perfect elegy to The Ram. And even though it doesn’t make its appearance until the credits, its effect on the film is meaningful and palpable.
The Ram is a tragic character but not a pitiful one. Despite our hope for better things for Randy, his singular commitment to being a wrestler is staggering and in a strange way admirable, even if it comes at the cost of turning away what would nurture him. The film is a fantastic and thorough examination of the complexities of this particular human being, and how Randy's unrelenting attachment to his identity reassures him while also destroying him.

The Reader

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I confess I wasn’t expecting too much from The Reader. I was mainly going in to see Kate Winslet, and I’m always up for watching something Roger Deakins shoots. While not as good as his first effort Billy Elliott, Stephen Daldry’s second film about adolescence was a pretty interesting watch. I usually am a bit wary of “Holocaust films” because they tend to be one-note—that one note being “this was a terrible thing, now be sad”—but The Reader features a pretty complex screenplay by David Hare from Bernard Schlink’s novel. Winslet, as Hannah Schmitz, is quite good as an illiterate, ignorant tram officer—and former concentration camp guard—who cannot understand the criminal wrongdoing of her past. She is met by the protagonist 15 year old Michael and they begin an illicit affair consisting of sex and storytime. Michael (David Kross, who acts circles around Ralph Fiennes who plays older Michael) then, having ended the affair, rediscovers Hannah when he attends her trial for role in concentration camps. This was a kind of a strange picture, because not a lot happens plotwise, but the film is still engaging throughout, anchored by an excellent score by Nico Muhly, and Kross and Winslet have chemistry, really selling the young man/older woman love affair. What is most interesting about the film is seeing the psyches of Hannah and Michael, particularly how Michael’s grows and changes and how Hannah’s never does. Overall, though lacking a bit of aesthetic flair, it’s a pretty consistently engaging and human story; and it earns bonus points for exhibiting all the joy and wonder cassette tapes can bring.

Il Divo

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I checked out this Italian film because it had won 3rd prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival and I'd heard good things about its lead performance and cinematography.
Paolo Sorrentino's film is a biopic about Italian politician Giulio Andreotti (played by Tony Servillo) who has served the government in various capacities, including Prime Minister, since 1954. The film follows a period in the early 90s where he went to trial for ties to the mafia.
Sorrentino made this film like no political biopic I've seen. Immediately upon entering the film, it grabs you with an exhilarating energy courtesy of the spectacularly kinetic cinematography and editing. The most apt comparison to me, would be to a Guy Ritchie film but much classier. Servillo is quite good, and seems to pretty much transform into Andreotti.
Sorrentino does a good job putting the film together but doesn't pander to someone like me who knows nothing about Italian political history. The film is definitely worth seeing (even just for its fantastic aesthetic qualities) but I recommend perusing Andreotti's wikipedia page first so you aren't completely confused during the film. I'm looking forward to giving it another watch.

Doubt

Colleen Kenny's Thoughts:
From the buzz I have heard so far, Doubt this year has been somewhat underrated both by Dolphin members and critics. Yes, there are flaws in the direction and the plot isn't as thick or as driving as other films but the outstanding acting, cinematography, editing and the exploration of important themes such as, faith, compassion, virtue and doubt make up for this.
Where the film has been getting its dues is in the acting department. This is no surprise. The acting is phenomenal and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius give compelling performances. Viola Davis, although not in the film for very long, also delivers a memorable performance. (Amy Adams is also convincing as Sister James.)
The themes of compassion and virtue are intensely explored through Sister Aloysius (Streep) and Father Flynn’s (Hoffman) relationship. Also, Sister James ( Adams ) helps guide us through this exploration as many of her thoughts seem to stand in for the audiences. Just when you feel Sister Aloysius (Streep) is the pessimist villain of the film she suddenly makes you think again in possibly the best scene of the film when her and Flynn (Hoffman) are in a heated argument. In this scene, Aloysius grabs her rosary and shows her commitment to justice and virtue. I agree that a little more complexity could have been brought in to show viewers more of Flynn’s life or his relationship to the children at the school.
While there has been some Dolphin controversy surrounding the sharply angled shots this does not take away from the overall effectiveness of the cinematography. A scene that particularly displayed Roger Deakins ability as a cinematographer to me is when Flynn is giving the sermon about gossip and the woman ripping a pillow open. The image of feathers flying over a 1960s New York evening has stuck with me days after seeing the film. Also, shots of the church throughout the film are quite powerful.
While I agree there were some flaws in the direction and perhaps the story could have used some beefing up, Doubt overall was one of the most entertaining and thought provoking movies of 2008.

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
In response to some claims that this film doesn't have much of a plot, I must write this paragraph. This film does indeed have a "plot" and I found it to be particularly driving and tightly edited by last year's Dolphin winner Dylan Tichenor. The plot is sharply focused and very singular. It was refreshing to me as a viewer for a film to leave out subplots and thoroughly delve into its story, subject matter and the life/lives of its character(s). Cinema has seen what seems like millions of films based on whether a character is guilty or innocent, and even the good ones often feel a little contrived because of how artificial the process of discovering "the truth" in film is, even when its engaging. Doubt doesn't feel contrived. It feels the way a situation like it would feel. We don't know whether Father Flynn is guilty or not, we might think we do, but there is no moment of transparency where the audience learns "the truth." There is a "truth" but only John Patrick Shanley and the actors who played Flynn know it. So like when evaluating a person's innocence in life, your verdict is based on what you know, as well as, how much you trust (and like) the accused and how much you trust and like the accuser. Shanley recreates this experience and its emotions for the audience in an engrossing cinematic fashion. There is no artificial plot device or contrived deployment of clues which may or may not be red herrings. The drama of the story is of not knowing, of being pulled in two opposite but equally viable directions.
As one should assume, the acting is obviously phenomenal. Meryl Streep gives the best female lead performance I've seen all year as a monstrous but convicted nun and her scenes with her "adversary" Philip Seymour Hoffman are particularly fantastic--they seem push each other to greater heights. I think I remember the filmmaker John Patrick Shanley saying for the role of Father Flynn he needed someone who could make Streep sweat. You can't do any better than P.S. Hoffman. He gives a great charismatic performance, confusing the situation surrounding his potential misdeed, and functions as a foil for Streep's character. Sister Aloysius is an unlikable person doing a, potentially, right thing while Father Flynn is a very likable person who has done a, potentially, wrong thing. The other two central performances by Amy Adams and Viola Davis are both great in very different ways. Davis is essentially only in one scene where she pleads for her son and exhibits traces of heartbreak and desperation in deciding what is best for him. She creates a rather complex character in a pretty short amount of time which is quite difficult. Adams's character, unlike the other characters, doesn't really have any dramatic, explosive scenes but her performance still manages to stand out. She is pulled back and forth between Flynn and Aloysius. While also providing the film with ocassional comic relief, Adams facial expressions really embody the sense of dread and confusion she feels regarding the situation in the rectory and by the film's end, under Aloysius's influence, her demeanor has noticably hardened, both in her class and with Aloysius.
Overall, Shanley does a suitable job directing the feature. There are only a couple instances where his lack of directing experience and the material's theatre origins show through. The former happens a couple times with unnecessary, extremely angled shots (a small blemish on Roger Deakins's otherwise fantastic cinematography) and latter only once or twice very briefly when the more dramatic moments approach staginess. The direction, however, appropriately assists Shanley's excellent,thought provoking screenplay, which everyone knows is the real star here.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Colleen Kenny's Thoughts:
Gonzo: The life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Gonzo from now on) was not the documentary I was the most anxious and eager to see but it turns out that it should have been. There has been a lot of hype this year about Man on Wire, which hopefully I will get to reviewing later, and in all likelihood it will win the Oscar for best documentary. If this happens it will be yet another time that the Oscars get it wrong.
I am not well versed in the discourse or language I should be using when discussing documentaries but I will do my best to try and explain why this documentary was, in my opinion, the best documentary of 2008.
The documentary is directed by Alex Gibney who won an oscar for the documentary Taxi to the Darkside last year. Gonzo is far superior to Taxi (which in my opinion did not deserve the Oscar).
Gonzo was an extremely well done documentary on Dr. Hunter S. Thompson the inventor of Gonzo Journalism and of Fear and Loathing fame. Thompson was truly a brilliant writer gifted with words. He framed and saw history in a unique but honest and captivating way. The documentary does an excellent job of showing the talent that Thompson had by reading from his texts and showing many clips of Thompson at political events and talking about his work. Thompson has come to be an iconic figure in American culture and it would have been easy for the documentary to slip into showing Thompson as a lovable goofy loon that the country has come to know and love. It however, does not do this. Instead, the documentary is an honest look at Thompson the man, a great writer, a lover of sports and politics, but also a gun and drug obsessed manic person. He would have significant bouts of rage and depression and was not, from what his son says, by any stretch a good father or husband.
The many clips of Thompson and the people he was close to are so captivating; he was a fascinating person and left an impression (good or bad) wherever he went. It is no surprise that his persona got the best of him for much of his later life and that this really affected Thompson who wanted to be seen as a serious writer.
The documentary is excellent; worth seeing for all Dolphins even if they aren't participating in a best documentary category.

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
Thanks to Colleen's thorough going over, I can keep my thoughts short and simple. Alex Gibney's film is effortlessly captivating even for a 2 hour run time which is on the long side for documentaries. Obviously, picking Thompson as a topic, Gibney knew that footage of Thompson would fascinate and entertain the audience with ease. To his credit, Gibney doesn't create a tribute piece. Almost as a rebuke of everything that has portrayed Thompson only as the Gonzo persona, the documentary is very multifaceted in the way Thompson also was. It covers the excitement when the nation first became aware of Thompson's manically elegant writing to his coverage during the '72 presidential campaign when many American people looked to him as the only honest voice emanating from the campaign trail. The film covers Thompson's "fall" as well, when his celebrity and excessive lifestyle (which marked his entire life) took over, consequentially discouraging Thompson when he realized he was no longer the writer he wanted to be. This is a film everyone should watch because it's an engaging, relatively complex look at one of the most unique, talented and irreverent figures in American history and the best documentary I've seen so far this year.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Joe Kenny's Thoughts:

The release of the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was something I was looking forward to for years. In it entailed the reuniting of great director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) with this long time partner Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Burn After Reading). Together these two made classic films such as Seven and Fight Club. When I first heard of these talented men working together again I immediately thought that a great film would come of it. Even though Fincher’s immediate work hasn’t been his best, I still had great confidence in him, knowing of his capabilities. The movie is based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, which heightened my excitement for the project. I decided to read the short story before the release of the film with the idea that I would become even more excited for this movie, if that was possible. The story is about a man who is born elderly and ages in reverse. When I finished reading the story I thought to myself that it was a little vague and that whomever was writing the film would pretty much have to create their own story line for the title character. I then decided to find out who had written the screenplay for the film. I quickly learned that it was Eric Roth (Forrest Gump). I knew that he had written the awful script of Forrest Gump but I was willing to give this blemish a pass simply because it seemed that Fincher and Pitt saw something in the script. I patiently waited for the release and this Christmas it finally came. If anyone saw it before me I wouldn’t let him or her give their thoughts on the film because I didn’t want to be influenced at all before I went through the doors in the theater. The day finally came and I rode in the passenger seat of my mother’s car to the theater. I then sat down in the poofy chair giddy as a schoolboy waiting for the masterpiece to start. The film opened with an almost dead Cate Blanchett and her daughter in a hospital. Obviously there were going to be inter-cuts of this nonsense throughout the whole movie, I thought to myself. Then came the story of this clockmaker who made a clock that clocked backwards. While I thought the clock story was interesting, it served no purpose for the film other than the fact that the clock goes backwards and so does Benjamin’s life. In my opinion the film should have opened with the birth of Benjamin Button. I also feel that all the scenes with Cate Blanchett’s daughter and her in the hospital should have been taken out. It was just a story telling device that served no purpose for the film. I began to become skeptical, and thought that maybe Roth’s ways would hurt the film. But as the film continued I began to enjoy it. Fincher and his crew did a masterful job creating marvelous sets that take us back to the early 1900s. Also, the acting at the beginning by Taraji P. Henson puts a smile on everyone’s face. And Benjamin’s stories while living in a retiree’s home after his birth were very fun. As the film continues Benjamin’s quirky encounters with quirky people keep you happy the whole way though. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an enjoyable film, but did not meet my high expectations.
I think the biggest problem with the movie is the script. I already mentioned the unimportant story of the clockmaker, and the ridiculous scenes between Cate Blanchett and her daughter. While the script has many good points for example the use of Benjamin’s physical looks in contrast to his actual age when making jokes. For example the captain of a tugboat that Benjamin is working on asks Benjamin if he has ever been with a woman, (code for have you ever had sex with a woman) Benjamin being the age of seven answers no, and the captain answers saying that’s the saddest thing he’s ever heard, thinking that Benjamin is seventy because of his physical looks. These types of jokes appear often in the film and they are funny. But while the way Benjamin ages is interesting, his life isn’t, and I think that’s the problem with the script. All kinds of events occur in the film, but the story revolves around Benjamin’s love interest, which is Daisy, who is played by Blanchett. While watching the film I began finding myself looking around the theater becoming uninterested. I think it’s very difficult to write a film that spans over such a long period of time, because when the audience goes from situation to situation it becomes hard for them to get emotionally attached to the main character and the people who surrounded him or her. I think that was the problem with Benjamin Button.
This review is already too long, but in closing I will say that Brad Pitt was good, but he wasn’t great simply because the character didn’t challenge him at all. Fincher’s work was very good and I expect him to be nominated for a dolphin and I think he could win. I think Roth is not a very good writer, although this is one of the better scripts his written. I recommend for anyone to view the film Benjamin Button, because even with it flaws, it keeps you smiling.

WALL-E

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
CRAP-E

Snow Angels

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I was looking forward to seeing Snow Angels initially because of how brilliant Sam Rockwell looked in the trailer and because he has a lead role which happens way too seldom. I also had a hunch, that for the first time, writer/director David Gordon Green would make a really solid film. I am happy to report, my expectations were definitely met. Each of Green's past three films all had elements of a good film but each of them faltered pretty significantly in some way or another, the problems usually stemming from a poorly structured and/or written screenplay and some of the acting. Green corrects both areas in Snow Angels, his first adapted screenplay.
I never read the novel from which this is based, but I assume Green benefits from having a story already laid out before him. He was able to concentrate more on dialogue (his strength) rather than crafting a story (his weakness). As far as acting goes, Sam Rockwell is sensational. Surely one of the best lead performances of the year. Rockwell delivers a really detailed portrait of his character, a man who is mentally unwell despite his best efforts not to be. Much like the film as a whole, Rockwell is often funny but always with an undercurrent of sadness. Rockwell uses, what seems like, every part of his body to serve the character with constantly defeated but hopeful eyes and various facial and body gestures that make the character feel alive and real. The rest of the cast is pretty solid, with good supporting performances by Amy Sedaris and Nicky Katt. Kate Beckinsale is the other lead and she contributes a decent performance, but doesn't produce a full bodied character the way Rockwell does.
I appreciated that the film focuses more on characters' reactions to the tragic events that unfold in the film rather than on the events themselves. So you end up with a film about the people in the town rather than a film about a child gone missing which, while the story's main "event", only occupies a small section of the film. This makes the film much more significant and in an unassuming way, unique. There are many great plot-driven films but it seems to be more difficult to craft a film about people successfully, which David Gordon Green does here.

Donna Kenny's Thoughts:
I agree, I thought Sam Rockwell was sensational.I do think Brolin in Milk has a contender for best "drunken" actor.I believe a "decent" rating for Kate Beckinsale's performance is a gift. Her reaction at hearing about her daughter's death is superficial. Soon after she returns to her job at the Chinese restaurant PLEASE!I thought Olivia Thirlby's performance as Lila was excellent. I loved her costuming especially the glasses.Did you know Connor Paolo's debut was Young Sean in Mystic River? The movie kept me interested and I said at least once out loud "Don't do it" when Rockwell carried the rifle upstairs and you saw his reflection in the T.V.

The Fall

Donna Kenny's Thoughts:
The Fall is a story that takes place in a 1915 Los Angeles hospital. Alexandria is a nine year old immigrant girl recovering from a fall. She befriends bedridden Roy Walker a stuntman also recovering from a fall and the loss of his most recent lover.
Roy creates a story to tell Alexandria involving five heroes who are all out to avenge the wrongs by the powerful Governor Odeus. Roy’s imaginative story interweaves Alexandria’s acquaintances at the hospital in order to peak her interest. In order to continue his epic tale, Roy asks Alexandria for a favor.
One would think after viewing this awe-inspiring cinematography that the Indian born director Tarsem used CGI. However, the shooting for this film took place in over 20 locations around the world over a four year period. Tarsem’s film is breathtakingly imaginative. However at times the pacing drags and as one reviewer states “the story is far too thin for adults and far too dark for kids”.
Alexandria played by Romanian Catinca Untaru outshines the acting of Roy Walker played by Lee Pace. Catinca’s English lessons beginning at age four has served her well. Her favorite parts of filming were the costumes and I would have to agree. The costumes were designed by Academy Award winner Eiko Ishioka. Her Oscar was awarded in 1993 for the movie Dracula.

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
I don’t have much to add, Donna’s thoughts sum things up pretty well, but I felt I should chime in on how beautiful this movie looks. This picture is one of those rare instances where I don’t feel like the screenplay or the acting or the picture as a whole are of the best five of the year but the direction feels like some of the best of the year. The fact that Tarsem Singh not only had the vision but managed to put this whole thing together through such extraordinary means shows a staggering dedication to his work and his vision. He is a man of obvious talent.
Of course the technical elements of this are pretty much flawless, fantastic cinematography by Colin Watkinson (so many shots could just be photographs on your wall) and incredibly beautiful art direction. The costumes were colorful and interesting as well. Very much a visual feast.
The screenplay, while having some problems, did function in an interesting way, considering and evoking (or mirroring) the way people tell stories. I thought that was an interesting subject/concept to explore despite the screenplay not being astonishing on its own.

Milk

Colleen Kenny's Thoughts:
I was anxious to see Milk the biopic of the first openly gay elected official in the U.S., Harvey Milk. Anxious because I knew it could be a great story and an important one for Americans today and also anxious because Gus Van Sant was directing it. This bit of information made me very nervous. Gus as a director does not have a good record, the film Elephant comes to mind among too many others. But thankfully Milk turned out to be his best film yet. (Well ahead of his second best Good Will Hunting).
Gus worried me in the beginning of the film with slow close ups of Franco and Penn in the sun making out but most of his "stylistic" type shots subsided soon after this.
The performances by Sean Penn as Harvey Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White are definitely at least Dolphin nomination worthy in my opinion. Sean Penn gave his best performance and was extremely convincing and captivating in the role of Milk. James Franco and Emile Hirsch also gave commendable performances.
Civil liberties having such heavy meaning in my life definitely made the movie mean more to me and have added significance. Harvey Milk had a huge impact on the gay rights movement in the U.S.. I was talking with a gay friend of mine a couple of years ago and he told me about Harvey Milk and how Milk even in death strengthened the Gay movement by becoming a martyr for it. I think the film did an adequate job of portraying this; showing at the end the amount of people who came out to commemorate Milk with candles in the streets.
One review I read said that the film made Harvey Milk seem too flawless. I don't know enough of history to validate or refute this point, but I will say it's hard not to mythologize people who have done heroic things. Also, in my opinion the film was good about not making Milk seem like an Angel, after all he was in the closet and a conservative for most of his life.
In this Dolphin members opinion Milk was one of the best films of 2008. It had a great and important story and memorable performances by Penn and Brolin.

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
As covered above Milk is Gus Van Sant's recent film about San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk. Van Sant (the auteur behind such travesties as Elephant, Last Days, My Own Private Idaho, 1998's shot for shot remake of Psycho and most recently Paranoid Park) doesn't fuck up the film too badly so kudos to him for that and surprisingly, the lead up to Milk's murder is really well done until Milk is actually killed in overwrought slow motion. What is really special about the film are the performances by Josh Brolin, James Franco and most importantly Sean Penn who gives the best performance of his career by a mile. Penn carries this film, and does so admirably. While not a carbon copy of Harvey Milk, he seems to embody his spirit and he definitely leaves all traces of Sean Penn behind, which is a rare occurrence. Franco and Penn have chemistry and create a tender portrait of a loving relationship even in spite of Van Sant's stupid out-of-focus eyeball closeups and the long slow motion shot spying on Penn and Franco making out, that is more absurd than affecting. Josh Brolin is also fantastic in his limited amount of screen time as Milk's assassin Dan White. Brolin could have easily played White simply as a monster, but instead portrays him as a man over is head, trying to find some control of his life or career and continuously failing. I confess, I sympathized with him until he committed the murders. Also, Brolin plays a drunk person the best I've seen anyone do.
Milk is a good film; I certainly enjoy it and it is important as the first good mainstream film about gay characters (maybe we can all forget about Brokeback Mountain now). My criticism of the film is that its quality rests solely on the shoulders of the three leads I mentioned (not Emile Hirsch or Diego Luna, who were terribly annoying, possibly by design) and the story of Harvey Milk himself. The script by Dustin Lance Black while doing a suitable job telling the story isn't spectacular in the least and occasionally inserts little unnecessary episodes that take me out of the film such as an unnamed teen who calls Milk twice during the movie. If a great director had been on this project I have few doubts that this would have been the film of the year but alas a great director was not. Instead it is a merely good film, despite a mess of flaws, featuring phenomenal performances by Penn and Brolin about an important and inspiring man. Unfortunately, though, this is not the singularly brilliant film that could have been made and that Harvey Milk probably deserves.

Frozen River

Drew Dahle's Thoughts:
Despite a weak supporting cast, occasional instances of corny dialogue and contrived plot twists, Courtney Hunt's Frozen River, about a mother who smuggles undocumented persons over the Canadian border to raise money for a new "doublewide" for her family to replace their dilapidated trailer, ends up being a decent if unspectacular film. The main (only?) reason for this is Melissa Leo, who gives a strong central performance that surely elevates the film. There are numerous times when it is apparent how much more talented of an actor Leo is than the cast she has to work with; this works in Leo's favor though not so much in the film's. Though I wonder how much better Leo could have been if she had worked with other great actors who could help elevate her own performance. Nevertheless, Leo's convicted performance, while nothing for the ages, is worthwhile and one of the best female leads this rather weak year has produced.

Baghead

Colleen Kenny's Thoughts:
The Duplass brothers' (always one of Joe's favorites) second movie Baghead was funny and entertaining. The humor in Baghead is very similar to the Duplass Brothers' previous film Puffy Chair. Baghead, the story of 4 struggling actors who retreat to Big Ben to write a screenplay, starts out well. The "We are Naked" film they see by Jett Garner is hilarious, as well as, when Matt (Ross Partridge) uses his wallet as a cell phone to try and get into an after party. Partridge plays the role of Matt well and is fun to watch throughout the entire film.
As the female characters become more prominent the film starts to become less interesting. Both female characters are written very flatly. The ditsy Michelle character (Greta Gerwig) is irritating and Catherine (Elise Muller) is more a function of the plot rather than a character.
All in all it was a fun film but nothing spectacular. Chad (Steve Zissis) has some great faces especially when acting terrified at the end. I don't expect it picking up too many Dolphins but Baghead is worth seeing.