Spanier's complete movie list

Graham Spanier

To fellow movie buffs and to scores of friends and colleagues, I am pleased to share my annual holiday list of recommended movies. These are on a scale from no stars to four stars, but all 25 of the movies listed are two star movies and above and worth the price of admission in my opinion. This list includes movies generally seen in theatres from Thanksgiving through the end of December, many at peculiar hours and some shown only in selected theaters. A few aren't in national circulation yet. Comments welcome. And Happy New Year to all!

FOUR STARS:

Atonement--A masterpiece of story and cinematography, weaving together romance, war, heartbreak, and emotion. Calling all Keira Knightly fans.

The Kite Runner--emotional, disturbing, sad, frustrating, and heart warming, all feeling real, in this film about Afghanistan--and war, politics, and religion. A fearful act of Betrayal is redeemed twenty years later.

No Country for Old Men--Perhaps too scary and violent for some, this is an amazing mix of Hitchcock-like suspense. The quirky, senseless violence fits with the unusual characters (Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem) playing cat and mouse.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead--Superb drama involving twists and turns of dysfunction, betrayal, bad luck, and revenge within a family. This is the year for Philip Seymour Hoffman.

American Gangster--Customarily superb performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in a Ridley Scott movie based on a true story about drugs and crime in the 60s and 70s.

THREE AND A HALF STARS:

The Great Debaters--A deeply inspirational film based on a true story of a Southern Black college debate team. A moving film from start to finish, Denzel Washington and Forrest Whitaker share the lead roles with talented young actors.

Charlie Wilson's War--Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julia Roberts shine in this based-on-a-true-story revelation about what we were up to in Afghanistan in the 1980s. But some of the buffoon-like portrayals, especially of CIA employees, distract and compromise credibility.

Across the Universe--The words of the music of the Beatles have never registered more to me than in this creative musical by Director Julie Taymor. A must see if you were in your teens anytime in the 60s.

You Kill Me--An aging, alcoholic and faltering hit man, Ben Kingsley, meets young and brash Tia Leoni. The unlikely couple shine in this unusual comedy.

THREE STARS:

Sweeney Todd--Macabre. I invariably champion the accessibility that comes with bringing Broadway musicals to the cinema, but this one is better experienced on the stage. The bloodiness of the movie overpowers the other cinematographic advantages that come with the big screen.

Darjeeling Limited--Three dysfunctional brothers venture across India by train to find themselves (and their mother). A most curious road trip.

Bella--A touching romantic drama about a couple who aren't a couple, brought together around an unborn child.

Lions for Lambs--Worthwhile for its messages and the conversation it might evoke, Tom Cruise seems misplaced in his role as a senator, while Meryl Streep impresses, of course, in this Robert Redford movie.

Michael Clayton--Graham Spanier look-alike George Clooney is a "fixer" in this smart, suspenseful thriller with several great characters. (OK, OK, but I bet he can't play a washboard).

Once--A romance with a song-filled narrative of original music, placed in Dublin. He is a struggling musician fixing vacuum cleaners and she is supporting a child while apart from her husband. They make good music together.

No Reservations--Catherine Zeta-Jones, a driven chef, Kate, falls for Aaron Eckhart, Nicolas, a sous-chef, as she must contend with the sudden custody of her niece. Warm and funny, with a happy ending.

The Golden Compass--With lots of posturing about the depiction of religion, I was expecting something much deeper. Rather, one finds an entertaining and dramatic fantasy with a gorgeous Nicole Kidman, all being positioned for the sequel.

TWO AND A HALF STARS:

National Treasure--Entertaining adventure with a great cast, and better than its predecessor. See it for fun, not for its educational value.

Enchanted--A nostalgic and fun Disney fairy tale comedy that mixes animation and real people--and a musical to boot!

Two Days in Paris--Julie Delpy directed, wrote, and starred in this story of two days in the relationship of a French Photographer and an American interior designer.

The Nanny Diaries--Scarlett Johansson graduates from college and becomes a nanny for wealthy Upper East Side Laura Linney in this comedy. The nanny copes with a brat, family dysfunction, and a romance with a Harvard guy.

I Am Legend--Will Smith being Will Smith. This blockbuster was a disappointment and only compelling for proud New Yorkers, I would suggest, because of the complex logistics required between the city and the producers to pull off this filming.

P.S. I Love You--This film evokes emotion and will make you cry (at least I did) even though Hillary Swank doesn't feel right in this role. Little rings true from the beginning, but see it for a tug at the heartstring.

TWO STARS:

In Between Days--A young Korean immigrant teenage girl finds her way in a North American city (likely Toronto) and falls in love with her best friend.

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATION:

The Replacement Child--a short movie by State College native Justin Lerner, now of Los Angeles, a great new director. THE REPLACEMENT CHILD made its World Premiere at the 2007 TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL. It won the UCLA Director's Spotlight Award, selected by a Blue Ribbon Panel headed by Sundance Film Festival director Geoff Gilmore. See: http://www.twelve34films.com/