By Joshua Encinias
Published on January 8, 2008
This top list has five or six films that I would purchase, the rest were the best of my 51 trips to Rave Motion Pictures, the Gulf Breeze Cinema 4, an Asian Theater in Washington, D.C. and the University Mall’s Dollar Theater.
On to the list which is in no particular order:
<b>”Hot Rod”</b>
“Hot Rod” was essentially YouTube the Movie. Best line from the film: “I GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY AND YOU’RE BRINGING OUT DEMONS IN ME!”
<b>”Eastern Promises”</b>
There isn’t much of a review for his one. It’s a bloody mess from the get-go and I liked it. Convincing enough? Watch out for the shower scene. They show everything Aragon (Viggo Mortensen) from top to bottom, use your imagination.
<b>”Black Snake Moan”</b>
Originally viewed in an expensive Chinese movie theater in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown midway through a trip to our nation’s capital.ÿ Lead characters Lazarus, Rae and Ronnie needed each other. We see the three go through a fire of personal peculiarities that keep them submitting to their prone weaknesses.ÿ Lazarus wrapped Rae in grace when she found it most detestable. No one walks away well-off, but working to be so.
<b>”28 Weeks Later”</b>
If “28 Weeks Later” were a 10-minute short, it would be more than equal to the first film from beginning to end.ÿ The plot is rooted in a husband’s (actor Robert Carlyle) selfish maneuver to save his life and doom his wife’s.ÿ All of London is taken over by a second zombie apocalypse as his family reintroduced the virus to the population. “Shaun of the Dead” understood what it takes to control infection: give the zombies menial jobs and have Coldplay throw a concert in their benefit.
<b>”Walk Hard”</b>
John C. Reilly deserves a Golden Globe/Oscar for best song.ÿ He had better win a Grammy, or at least perform on the show in character.ÿ Until I rewatch the two recent Apatow films, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s their best film since The 40-Year-Old Virigin.
<b>”The Darjeeling Limited”</b>
This was a different film for Wes Anderson. The film is laden with symbolism, some that I understand and even more that seems aloof.ÿ When the three brothers dropped their baggage (in more ways than one) at film’s end, it seemed like Anderson used it to wrap up the thread of father issues seen throughout his films.
<b>”Ratatouille”</b>
Director Brad Bird brought Pixar’s initial first post-Disney project to life. No wonder that it stars a rat, no, not Steamboat Willie. Patton Oswald voiced Remy, a self hating rat. It didn’t take Ratatouille’s two-hour running time to win me over. Either I’m involved with the story from the get-go or it never clicks. This one had me from “hello.”
<b>”Sunshine”</b>
“Sunshine” = Hubris in Space. Danny Boyle put a lot of time in keeping with space film standards and fitting them with a story of unstoppable madness for the Sun. It’s cool when you see the thread of actors a director will use in film after film.ÿ Cillian Murphy appeared in Doyle’s “28 Weeks Later” and shows up as the lead in this film.ÿ