Another year in cinema coming to an end. I'm not complaining. I've laughed (Death at a Funera) and I've cried (Away From Her), experienced thrills (Darjeeling Limited) and chills (There Will Be Blood).
But, yes, I've got some gripes. Where are all the foreign films? Don't real women have abortions? Can we get some good roles for women? Why doesn't crime pay?
The top list of disappointments in the year 2007.
1. The I'm Keeping My Baby Trilogy
Fox Searchlight
Three for three: Waitress, Knocked Up, and Juno. Young, attractive, presumably intelligent women accidentally find in a family way and like that famous Madonna song, they are keeping their babies. Technically, Juno gives hers away. Abortion, however, is barely an option; it's not even a word to be spoken out loud. Okay, Juno actually says the word, she does, but she doesn't do the deed.
It may be too soon for conspiracy theory, but if films influence public opinions (and I believe they do), you had better worry about the state of safe and legal abortions in this country. I much prefer Cristian Mungiu's devastating drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days.
2. Where Are The Foreign Films?
63 foreign films are vying for the Oscar nomination this year, but most of them won't come to theaters near you. They won't even make it to theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The choice is being made for us: No subtitles, nothing too dark, too challenging. German filmmaker Robert Thalheim's And Along Came Tourists, set in the modern day town of Auschwitz, has yet to receive distribution in this country - just one example of the many excellent films we never get to see.
3. Putrid Roles For Women
Jodie Foster gets my vote for most compelling performance of the year in Neil Jordan's The Brave One. She's riveting on the screen - the transformation from mild mannered New York liberal to a full-fledged vigilante completely believeable. Foster will shoot you with a gun; she'll get you with her bare hands. She'll wow you, hands shaking as she drinks a coffee. Too bad the film itself isn't worthy of such praise.It's the men who blew me away this year: Daniel Day Lewis gets to go over the top in There Will Be Blood. Viggo Mortensen becomes a Russian cappo in Eastern Promises.
4. Crime Doesn't Pay
We're in the minority here: film critics united against the Coen Brother's No Country For Old Men. It's a fine film - technically, from beginning to end - but the dark, unsatisfying ending makes the entire ride not worth taking. Our taciturn cowboy instinctively knows that nothing good will come with taking the suitcase filled with two million dollars - and he's right. Bad things happen. Bodies end up floating in swimming pools and the edification is nill.
