Very sad news this morning on the death of eighties teen actor Corey Haim. I was certainly a fan especially with his roles in movies like The Lost Boys and Licence To Drive, both of which formed part of a lengthy career with fellow actor Corey Feldman. Feldman was on Larry King Live to offer his opinion on the current mystery surrounding his friend’s death.
R.I.P.
Corey Haim
1971 – 2010
UPDATED: (10/03/2010)
Well congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow! I am not overly surprised Avatar didn’t sweep the boards, that when you look past the visual wizardry, the story, good as it is, is nothing perticularly ground-breaking. I have yet to see Hurt Locker though, so reserve my judgement in the mean time.
By now movie fans know the results of the Oscars, but if your curious, here’s what I predicted…
Best Actor:
Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart.
Heard good things about this performance, and Bridges is well overdue a nod from the academy.
Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz for Inglorious Basterdz.
Probably the most celebrated performance of the year, and the main reason to see Quentin Tarantino’s hit and miss WWII epic.
Best Actress:
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side.
I know nothing about this, but I predict Sandra will get the nod as she’s otherwise up against the same old names, and the academy always likes to surprise us.
Supporting Actress:
Mo’Nique for Precious.
Lots of buzz about this movie and especially for this role from the former stand-up comedienne.
Best Animated Film:
UP, Pete Doctor.
Very highly regarded and Pixar are usually a shoe-in for this category, but another movie could surprise us.
Best Director:
James Cameron for Avatar.
I think the academy will award Cameron the directing honours and not best film.
Best Film:
The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow.
The favourite at the Golden Globes, and I think the same will happen here.
In continuation to my run down of what movies I think really stood out in the decade, here’s part two …
Shaun Of The Dead
Of the few comedies to really make people get talking this past decade, this British collaboration between TV actors Simon Pegg & Nick Frost with director Edgar Wright really struck a chord. Not only was it perfectly timed with the renewed interest in the zombie movie following in the wake of Danny Boyles’ 28 Days Later, this clever as hell comedy doesn’t rely on cheap gags or absurd characters, but believable nobodies in a life and death situation, all topped off with a bit of romance for good measure. Endlessly re-watchable. The best rom-zom-com ever made.
Lost In Translation
A romantic comedy that isn’t really a comedy or particularly a romance – that’s some achievement. It makes Bill Murray more than just that 80s comedy star with a dry sense of humour, and re-discovers Scarlett Johansson and makes anyone who thought she was just a pretty face, think again. As a love letter to Tokyo and Japanese culture it can not be faulted, and as a representation of Sophia Coppolla, she definitely proved herself as not just the daughter of Francis Ford Coppolla, but as a director of real merit. Poetic, subtle, and timelessly memorable.
Secretary
On paper this should be a dirty movie, but with Maggie Gyllenhaal as the nerdy, wannabe secretary and former self-harmer who discovers her kinkier side when she meets James Spader’s bizarre, secretive lawyer-boss; this erotic without any actual sex in it movie stands out for its subtlety and clever script. At its heart it’s an unconventional love story, and also a keen observation of human nature. It’s also very funny. Highly recommended.
High Fidelity
This feels to me like the Woody Allen movie that was never made. Stephen Frears’ whimsical romantic comedy has a career best from John Cusack and it can also be credited as the movie with Jack Black in it you didn’t want to switch off ten seconds after pressing play. Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, this has so much to recommend it, not just because it has a great soundtrack, or makes a lead character that should be totally unlikable totally likable, but because it has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever heard as well as scene after scene that sticks in your head.
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Could this be the perfect Coen Brother’s movie? It has everything they love – deep south backdrop, a bevy of character actors in the form of George Clooney, John Totturro and John Goodman, a clever take on an old story (this time: Homer’s Odyssey) and stunning cinematography. The comedy is first class without being silly, the situations both reflective of American history and just brilliant set ups for our hapless heroes, with plenty of iconic moments. They didn’t come close to this again until No Country For Old Men.
American Psycho
Adapting one of the most talked about novels of the past twenty years was going to be tough, especially when said novel was often criticised for its highly detailed description of violence and murder. Yet the novel by Brett Eastern Ellis was also a satire of 80s culture, office politics and yuppies. Casting former child actor Christian Bale as the eerily charming Patrick Bateman, adding a cheesy 80s pop soundtrack, and also dousing the material in some surreal moments of horror, makes for not only one of the best movies of the decade, but also one of the sharpest and most fascinating serial killer flicks ever made.
There are many more movies I could mention, but I think this list and its predecessor form the movies that had the biggest effect on me personally. I think they all have their own unique merits and offered something perhaps we hadn’t seen before or at least not on such a level. I hope anyone who hasn’t seen some of the movies mentioned, takes the time to seek them out.
I was saddened to hear that Hollywood actress, Brittany Murphy was found dead Sunday morning following what has been reported as a cardiac arrest. The young star, who was a favourite of mine in movies such as Clueless, Sin City, Don’t Say A Word and Girl, Interrupted, was not only very sexy and talented, she also had a unique personality similar to Juliet Lewis that gave that special something to every role she played. Memorable as the waitress-come-gangster’s moll in Sin City or as the nerdy, sweet natured ‘new girl’ in Clueless – she always held her own, often cast against much bigger names. In addition she was also a gifted singer, having performed on movie soundtracks and had a top ten hit with Faster Kill Pussycat with Paul Oakenfold.
So its sad to see her go, but I look forward to hunting out those movies I have let pass me by, and maybe rediscover this actress all over again.
Brittany Murphy
10 November 1977 – 20 December 2009
R.I.P.
I was sad this morning to hear the news that one of the coolest actors of the eighties has passed away.
Patrick Swayze who will be best remembered for his iconic performance in fan-favourite Dirty Dancing … died yesterday at his home aged 57, following a 2 year battle against pancreatic cancer. I think my favourites of his long list of movies were Point Break and the underrated Roadhouse, even though I can’t help but love that moment when he says ‘Nobody puts baby in the corner’ in ‘Dancing. Sheer class.
Dirty Dancing co-star Jennifer Grey payed this tribute:
“When I think of him, I think of being in his arms when we were kids, dancing, practising the lift in the freezing lake, having a blast doing this tiny little movie we thought no one would ever see. He was a ‘real cowboy with a tender heart’, who was so fearless doing his own stunts that it was not surprising to me that the war he waged on his cancer was so courageous and dignified.”
Patrick Swayze
1952 – 2009
