The Best and Worst Films of 2008

Well it is New Years Eve and I'm bored at work. Like every year at this time, it is a day to look back at the year and take stock on what went well and what to improve upon in the coming year. I'm thankful for all the experiences I've had this year and looking forward to the year to come. As most of my friends know, one of my greatest loves is the movies. I may not have a tremendous amount of money, but I always find it for visits to my local theater. This year has been a great year for movies. Most of the best (in my opinion) came from the unexpected. Who would have guessed a robot, a superhero, and a politician would have captured my imagination so thoroughly and eloquently. So here are my picks for the best (and worst) of the year. Let me know what you think!!

Best of 2008

WALL - E

WALL-E is a standout film by the geniuses at Pixar. Essentially, this is the first art film for kids I have ever seen. It’s the story of a lonely robot who longs for humanity. He inadvertently gives humankind a second chance to redeem their overindulgent and disastrous behavior. The move is aimed at kids but is distinctly adult. Who knew the best human performances of the year would be played by two adorable animated robots. As I said above, it doesn't look like any other kid's movie I've seen. The love story is believable, the message is palpable, and imagery is stirring. This is a kid's film that doesn't pander to kids and assumes they can decipher the message and use their imaginations. This movie gives all viewers a workout for the mind as well as the eye.


Slumdog Millionaire

This movie blew me away. This is director Danny Boyle’s hyperactive view of life. Slumdog Millionaire is a wild ride through the slums of India with a stylish flair and pulse pumping musical score. There are elements of gangster films, Bollywood blockbusters, love stories, and coming-of-age tales all rolled together into a heart-rending and affirming film. Slumdog is the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an 18-year old orphan carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. As a contestant on India's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, he is just one question away from winning the game, but as the show breaks for the night he is arrested for cheating. His arrest and questioning set the stage to reveal the life experience that taught him the answers to the game show's questions and through flashbacks Jamal recounts a troubled life in the slums of Mumbai with a violent brother, a mother killed when he was just a child, and his tumultuous love of an orphan girl named Latika. This movie is one that people need to see. It has a glossy exterior but shows the stark realities of growing up in ways that are unfathomable to most American viewers. This is a great film!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This movie could have been so bad, but instead turned out to be one of the most touching movies of the year. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett lead a stellar cast in Benjamin Button. The story follows a man born as an 80-year old man in Jazz Age New Orleans who ages in reverse though recent history. It’s the story of a not-so-ordinary man living the life set before him. The film’s emotionally stirring story, fascinating characters, and on-target performances make this movie stand out. The CG effects in this film are a technical marvel. Director David Fincher managed to balance this perfectly sentimental film using that technology to advance the story instead of dazzle audiences. In doing so, Fincher dazzles nonetheless!

Milk

Milk is one hell of a movie. Gus Van Sant uses the recorded story telling of the real Harvey Milk to frame this film endeavor. At no point does Van Sant make Harvey Milk look like a saint. Instead he paints the picture of a man from the outside fed up with the hatred and lack of understanding of the mainstream. The film explores the life and challenges of the exuberant and first openly gay politician Harvey Milk. Milk is one hell of a film because of the amazing performances of the cast. Sean Penn embodies the late Harvey milk with tenacity, humor and charm while showing the very human flaws that he had as well, Josh Brolin turns in an astonishing portrayal of Milk’s political rival and fellow San Francisco city supervisor Dan White, and James Franco wows with his endearing performance of Milk’s true love. It’s apparent through the historical records that Harvey Milk wouldn’t have wanted to be seen as an icon during his life, but he wanted to make a difference. It’s ironic that this film comes out just after several states took away or barred certain rights of gay and lesbian members of this great country. This movie shows that Milk’s death stood for something and will stand as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against discrimination.

The Dark Knight

Who would have thought that this year would have brought some of the best superhero films made so far? Hands down, the winner of the superhero battle was Christopher Nolan’s stark and haunting The Dark Knight. The movie was elegant, thought-provoking, and brutally honest. One of the finest performances of the year is found in this film by the late Heath Ledger. He made the Joker into terrifyingly evil and ruthless sociopath, but did it in such an unbelievable and perfect way. It’s a damn shame that he passed away before he could grace the screen with more performances of this caliber. That was just one aspect of the movie that made it such an awesome film. Essentially the reason I loved this film was because you can’t even anticipate what you will get from the movie until you see it. I was floored when I first experienced it and I’m still in awe.

I would love to write mini reviews for the rest of my Top 10 but my hands are starting to hurt and I don’t want to overload my page! If you want to know my logic for the remainder, just ask! Rounding out my Top Ten are:

Iron Man
The Visitor
Man on a Wire
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Tropic Thunder

I struggled when it came to movies that I was not thrilled with. A few of them were not terrible, but I met them with disappointment for various reasons. I feel they are worthy of mention before I list my worst films of the year because I simply can’t decide about them. All three were films that I was highly anticipating but fell flat when I saw them. They were:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Speed Racer
Twilight

I liked all the three of them to a certain extent, but they all had some tremendous flaws from ridiculous concepts (Indy) to over-the-top effects (Speed), and ho-hum acting (Twilight). Maybe after further viewing my mind will change, but all three could have been excellent.

So without further ado, with the best films of the year comes my list of the worst films. I try to avoid films that look bad, so there aren’t 10 on here because I didn’t see many bad films. The ones on here were BAD! I’m only going to talk about the one that brings the most ire to mind, and the rest you shall have to watch and experience the horror for yourself…

The Worst of 2008

The Happening

The trailer for M. Night Shamaylan’s latest film, "The Happening", is a grabber. I think most folks that saw it were intrigued with the idea of the film because it didn’t give away any details. It simply set up the premise that something catastrophic has happened, but if it isn't a terrorist attack, what is it? It gave me hope that M. Night was back on track after his disappointing turn in Lady in the Water. After seeing the film it’s no wonder why the trailer gave nothing away. This movie was horrible! Over-the-top (and terrible) acting, ridiculous dialogue, undeveloped concepts, and unreliable storytelling (did I mention terrible acting) sank this mess of a film. Mark Wahlberg should not be allowed to act for some time in penance for this atrocity. Terrorism or Eco Awareness, what the hell was the message of this movie? The Happening was anything but happening. Hands down this was the worst movie this year and quite possibly one of the worst I’ve seen period!

10,000 B.C.
The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Love Guru
Fool’s Gold
The Ruins
Jumper

There ya go. Those are my thoughts, so argue with me if you'd like but you won't change my mind! :) Wishing all of you lots of love and happiness in 2009! Hope to see you at the movies!

On a more somber note, but a thoughtful one...

Death is a very mysterious thing. It was only a week ago that I spoke with Auntie M. about visiting her this coming weekend. And today I am here pondering her passing unexpectedly yesterday morning. I’ve gone through every emotion. I cried, I got angry, I was depressed, I was happy, and I was thoughtful. Most of all I was numb. My mind was a thousand places and nowhere at the same time. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

When you've had someone that you loved recently pass, it makes you ponder not only the current situation and your feelings for that loved one, but also the nature of death itself and what it truly means. I've noticed that some can discuss death very openly, and very candidly. And others you can tell feel very uncomfortable talking about it, they will try to change the subject to some lighter matter, perhaps what they're going to eat or a recent movie they saw. Its not that they want to avoid it, it’s just that people handle the situation differently. I think you'll find the people who are willing to discuss death with you are people who have experienced loss, have an advance view of life, or have thought about death quite a lot.

I would even say that death is, in a way, a gift. It allows us to examine our relationship with that person and reflect on the beauty and joy of that relationship. It challenges us to take what we’ve learned from the relationship and build new relationships on that strong foundation. My aunt taught me about loving life, enjoying art, thinking independently, and cherishing the people close to you. Those are all lessons that will not disappear because she is no longer here physically, those lessons (and by extension her) live on with me. I’ve also had the privilege to see how friends and family can rally around you in moments like these. I am unbelievably lucky for all of them!

My aunt was the first person I came out to. I was terrified to tell anyone, but something about Auntie made me feel safe to confide in her. I knew that she was a litmus test on how others may deal with it. When I told her, she looked at me and said “So what? Ian, I love you no matter what you are or who you are with. Just do what makes you happy and be safe.” That was it. It was genuine, sincere and it was flippantly Auntie. :) That reaction seemed to melt all my fears. She just had that way about her.

My aunt lived her life by her rules. She fought for what she thought was right, she lived each day like her last and she let you know what was on her mind. I’ll miss our playful banter over whose turn it was to call the other, about the dangers of tsunamis plaguing the Rhode Island coast, the wisdom of Mr. Potatohead and name-calling, and the delicious nature of white pancakes, but I know that those memories will always be with me and will continue to make me laugh, cry and blush. I just hope I can live up to the standard that she has set for me.

There are many parallels of my relationship with my Auntie to the relationship in the 1958 classic Auntie Mame, but it is a quote from that movie that truly captures the attitude of my favorite lady. I love you Auntie, and I always will!!

“Life is a banquet & most poor suckers are starving to death! So, live! Live! LIVE!” – Auntie Mame (1958)

Marie Deriso (1940 – 2008)

One of my favorite debates..

Okay, there is debate going on all over the country about equal rights, but gay marriage has been a major hot button issue. This year California, Arizona, and Florida banned gay marriage and created amendments to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. In Arkansas, voters passed a law that bans GLBT individuals or couples from adopting. Seriously?! I don't know what the hell is wrong with some of the people in this country. More importantly, I don't understand where people get some of their fucked up ideas about homosexuality and morality. Luckily, there are high profile individuals starting to speak out against the bigotry and hatred that is spewing from some folks in this country:

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  Days after the election, in his Special Comment, MSNBC Countdown’s Keith Olbermann publicly disagreed with the passing of Proposition 8 in California and urged people to accept love between people of the same sex. His comments were heartfelt and genuine. I wish he had spoken much sooner! Check this amazing clip here!


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  On December 8th, Jon Stewart confronted former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee about the views on gay marriage professed in his new book. Mr. Stewart has won tons of points with this one. Huckabee even stumbles a few times grasping for some shreds of logic to defend his point of view. Check it out here!


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  Power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie say they won't get married until all others are able to share in that right. Pitt donated $100,000 towards the fight to defeat Prop 8 in California.

Now these are all folks with platforms to speak out and they are doing it. I'm encouraged to see people all over the country, gay and straight, speaking out against the injustice that is occuring. I just hope that the visibility of this fight continues, but also steps are made to help those that just don't get it understand. If we can put some bible-beaters in their place along the way, then I only have one thing to say.... AMEN!

Love the views!

So this weekend I met up with Tommy to do some hiking at Piestewa Peak. Both of us haven't had much luck with Piestewa, but this weekend we were up to the challenge. The last time I went up that trail, officials had the peak closed off for restoration. People leave a lot of shit up there, which is unfortunate. However, talk about an excellent workout. This mountain packs a punch for being in the middle of a major city. Practically a twin of Camelback Mountain (in Scottsdale), Piestewa is only 100 ft shy of its breathren. On our way up, we befriended Becky, a local out for a workout. We all ended up at the same pace and enjoyed the success of reaching the summit together.

Piestewa Peak (formerly Squaw Peak) is located in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve close to downtown Phoenix in the Biltmore area of the city. Piestewa has been surrounded by controversy due to its old name. Squaw is a derrogatory word among Native Americans and the battle over the mountain's name had gone on for years. It wasn't until recently (not federally until April of 2008) that Governor Janet Napolitano put an abrupt end to the whole debate. The order was given to rename the peak to Piestewa, after Lori Ann Piestewa, the first US woman soldier to be killed in the 2003 Iraq war, the first Native American woman to die in combat in the US military, and a member of Arizon's Hopi Nation.

Our hike was amazing. You get a full cardio workout, lots of leg work and some spectacular views of Phoenix. On clear days you can have a view of Pinnacle Peak, Four Peaks, the White Tanks, and beyond. The trail is consistently uphill and winding. Be prepared for lots of "climbing". The trail is designed like stairs for most of the way up the mountain, with many of the steps far apart due to traffic and erosion. You'll be feeling those steps in your calves and buns. ;)

One of the perks of Piestewa, over Camelback, is the ample parking and less crowds. If you're out for some sun and a good workout, I'd recommend Piestewa over Camelback. If you'd like some people watching mixed in with your workout, I'd recommend Camelback's Echo Canyon trail. You won't be disappointed either way. Both mountains have spectacular views and offer kickass workouts.

Check out a few pictures of the trip. Definitely a trail to check out!

R.I.P Polaroid

Hardly noticed by most, in February Poloroid announced that it would end its instant film product production by year end. So this month is the last month of production for those iconic white-bordered instant pictures. I've never owned a Poloroid camera and I've only played with one a few times, but those pictures are one of a kind. Every single poloroid picture I have are ones that capture amazing moments. I know I can get that with a digital camera, but there was something about waiting and watching as the picture develops before your eyes and shaking it for no apparent reason.

It is just interesting to see how products come and go, and how we assign certain meanings to those products. I learned about and developed my love of photography through manual cameras. I still do my b/w work with my mom's old camera from the 70s. But even film cameras are fading away due to "progress". I don't mourn the loss of an old product, but I do feel for generations that won't have the experience of using a dark room or "shaking it like a poloroid picture".

Tasty and Healthy Drink for Those on the Go!

Okay, so I don't intend to use this forum for much advertising, but I'm going to make an exception to the rule here. One of my former employees went out and started his own beverage company: Spartan Beverages. His goal was to create a workout/energy drink that was all natural, high in vitamins, and tastes great. The product recently launched at Amazon.com and its really good!!

I've attached a link to Amazon.com for the product. If you are at all into working out, looking for vitamins and protein on the go, or just looking for a tasty energy drink that isn't completely sugar, then check out Spartan products!! I like them and I hate most sugar free drinks. These taste good and are excellent after a hike or a workout. I approve!

Buy Spartan Here!!!

Finding Direction...

I've been struggling to decide how I'd like to see this blog take shape. Should it have a single topic focus or should I randomly pontificate on whatever catches my fancy? I think I've decided to go for the middle ground here. My overall focus is on leisure and recreation. That is a very broad subject matter. It covers fun, food, friends, love, absurdity and anything is really possible.

If I had to take a guess I'd say that its more likely that it will have to do with outdoorsy stuff and travel because that would be a major passion of mine. However, I'm a movie addict as well so I'll most certainly share my thoughts in that realm too. To be honest, I'm a Gemini, so I doubt I'll be able to hold back my random musings even if they fall outside that overall topic. Guess that means you'll just have to deal with it! :)

Everyone one needs their soapbox!

Hello everyone. This is my first blog post ever in this vast space called the Web. I am excited, I have much to ponder and share. I shall share my opinions and personal thoughts on the life, love, and leisure. Especially since I'm working in the world of leisure and recreation. Thanks and keep posted on what is coming next...