“I like things that look like mistakes.”- 25 FAVOURITE PERFORMANCES OF 2013

        2013 was an amazing year for performances. I had an especially tough time with this list because at one point, every movie I was saw had a performances I greatly loved or appreciated. Since this is a subjective list, I am going to go with my "favourite" performances over what may be considered the "best" performances, except my for number 1. That is THE best.

Honourable mentions- Well, my shortlist has 62 names and so if I were to name the ones that didn't make it into the final list, my honourable mentions will exceed the latter. I am cheating in this list as it is.

25.

Bradley Cooper in American Hustle

In a movie where everyone is trying to out-act each other, Cooper's Richie is the only character that ends up feeling real. There is a sincerity that Cooper is able to bring to the role, even when Richie is going nuts. And man, those rollers.

24.

Emma Watson in The Bling Ring

I don't think I have had more fun listening to a character this year as much as I did with Watson's Nicki Moore. That interview scene alone guaranteed her a place in this post.

23.

Pauline Burlet in The Past

In both of Farhadi's movies that I have seen, I ended up feeling the worst for the children. They are subjected to the complex and perplexing workings of the adult world and the results are ruinous. When we first see Burlet's Lucie, we just think she's a moody teenager. But she is full of layers and the more we find out about her past and what she did, the more we feel for her. She is riddled with guilt and confusion and seeing her coming to terms with her actions is devastating.

22.

Alden Ehrenreich in Beautiful Creatures

I really think Ehrenreich's performance in Beautiful Creatures puts him in the league of John Cusack in Say Anything. Playing the small-town boy with the big dreams, he is full of charm and intelligence and has fantastic charisma on screen. He also gets my vote for "breakthrough actor of the year".

21.

Bruce Dern in Nebraska

Dern plays a man completely obsessed with his lottery win in Nebraska. There are so many ways this performance could have been a caricature but instead, it is the perfect mixture of sad and funny. He doesn't say much and often appears almost oblivious to everything around him, but that look in his eyes full of some kind of longing is enough to make him one of the most human characters of last year.

20.

Julie Delpy in Before Midnight

As depressed as I was by the transformation of beautiful, inspiring Celine of the first two Before movies into this crazy, neurotic, argumentative person, one cannot deny the work that Delpy achieves here. She lets herself get ugly and awful, but this Celine is also the most fleshed out that we've ever seen her. And I do think she would be more attached to the character than all of us so to explore her unsavory side like she did here is commendable.

19.

Matthew McConaughey in The Wolf of Wall Street, Mud and Dallas Buyers Club

The order of the pictures are given according to my favourite performances of Matty M. last year. Witnessing McConaissance has been a privilege and 2013 was another great year for one of the most shockingly (at least for me) versatile actors of this era. All his performances were excellent though that money chant really takes the cake.

18.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Prisoners

This movie questions our ideas when it comes to what makes someone a hero and what makes them a villain. Captain Loki is not a likeable person but he is the good guy. From the blinking to the hair, Gyllenhaal makes Loki a very compelling character to watch.

17.

Léa Seydoux in Blue is the Warmest Colour

While watching Blue is the Warmest Colour, we are mesmerised by Adèle. And Adèle is mesmerised by Emma. Seydoux had to create a character that would justify this devotion because only then would the subsequent break up ravage the way it did, and she did so beautifully. 

16.

Matthew Goode in Stoker

There must have been a lot of pressure on Mr. Goode for playing a character based on one made famous by Joseph Cotten. But he more than matches up. He is the quintessential psychopath- attractive, disturbing and lethal. He has an iciness that creeps under your skin but goddamnit, you like it!

15.

Shailene Woodley in The Spectacular Now

In very simple terms, Aimee is a good girl who falls for the (sorta) bad boy. It's kind of a cliché, but I've never seen anyone play it the way Woodley does. She is so sweet but so real at the same time that we feel almost angry seeing her go down that path as though she's someone we know. Woodley's natural charisma is the reason why.

14.

Joaquin Phoenix in Her

Her is an incredible film for many reasons, one of the biggest being that a lot of it is, like the College Humour poster said, close-ups of Joaquin Phoenix's beautiful face as it registers the myriads of emotions that Theodore goes through. They are all so subtle and so precise. Phoenix probably has my favourite cinematic face and in my eyes, no one else could have played this role.

13.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Enough Said

While we would expect it to be something purely comedic, JLD in Enough Said gives one of the most layered performances of the year. Yes, she is funny but in the humour, one can see elements of sadness, fear and confusion, which is what makes her so human.

12.

Sandra Bullock in Gravity

I love films that are basically one-man or one-woman shows (See also: The Pianist, 127 Hours) and Gravity, in all its visual splendour, would not have worked if it didn't have one immensely strong lead performance. Bullock gives just that, and not only is her physical accomplishment praise-worthy but also the emotional depth she brings to the film. 

11.

Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips

Of course that ending is devastating, but it would not have had half its impact if Hanks didn't play his role with such a vulnerable self-control throughout most of the film. We can almost feel his fear but he IS the captain and he has to stay composed and brave at the face of adversity. And finally, he lets it all out. It is a masterclass in acting.

10.

Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in The Lunchbox

There is a certain pleasure you get in seeing two actors playing off each other. In the movie, in spite of his initial reluctance, Irrfan Khan's taciturn Sajan finds a friend in Sidiqui's openhearted Shaikh, and for the latter, the former becomes a sort of father/brother figure that he always wanted. This bond, though unusual, is strengthened throughout the film in an effortless manner because of the way both these actors play their characters. Khan, who also has a great cinematic face, reveals the inner grief of his character without saying much, and in contrast, Sidiqui's character is hilariously loquacious but he too has a poignancy to him.

9.

Tye Sheridan in Mud

Sheridan's Ellis just breaks my heart. We go through the film seeing the faith that Ellis has in the idea of true, everlasting, almost heroic love. He doesn't talk a lot but you can see this wonder in his eyes. When he finally comes face-to-face with the reality of the world, his reaction is shattering. There is such hurt and anguish. Like I said in my Making a Case post, "it is astonishing to see someone so young capture all these emotions with such intensity that even grown-ups sometimes can't." Really blew me away.

8.

Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street and This is the End

Hill was definitely going to be in this list after playing the self-parody he does in This is the End, playing a cockier, crazier, possessed-er version of himself. And then I saw WoWS. Teeth, glasses, coke, fish, Fucksville- all of them would have been pointless if we didn't have a comic genius (yes, I totes believe that he is one now) playing such a character who makes it completely his own without letting all of that overpower him. Both these roles could have been mere caricatures but Hill makes them more than that.

7.

Simon Pegg in The World's End

I think barring my number 1, no other performance this year has managed to surprise me the way Pegg's did here. Specifically, when we find out Gary King's "truth" at the end. There is such sadness and anger and disappointment that I was absolutely amazed by Pegg's acting abilities. That one scene then puts the rest of the movie in perspective. He is definitely hilarious in the film but under all that frenzy, there is a darkness that I didn't know Pegg was capable of portraying.

6.

Scarlett Johansson in Don Jon and Her

I think ScarJo is an incredibly gifted actress and 2013 was the year when she showed all of her talents. In Don Jon, she went all va va voom on us with her Barbara. Like Hill earlier, she could have been just a farcical characterisation of a certain type of person, but she finds ways to give her character depths which are surprising. And man, that scene in the hallway. I remember whispering to my friend sitting next to me in the theatre, "I can't believe she just went there." Coming to her performance in Her, it is plain astounding the way she manages to make someone who is as real and as human as one can be through just her voice.

5.

James Franco in Spring Breakers

Speaking of being stunned at someone "going there", remember when Franco's Alien fellates a gun? I can handle all of Franco's artistic nonsense if he continues to give performances like this one. It's not just the look but the utter conviction with which he pulls it off. From his extolling speech about all of his shit to the "Everytime" scene, Franco owns this motherfuckin' role.

4.

Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine

There is something of a tragedy about Jasmine. Then again, she's also awful, manipulative, greedy and crazy. Leave it to Blanchett for making a role so funny and so pitiable at the same time. Just listen to every time she starts talking about the song "Blue Moon". It is obviously hilarious, but at the same time, you can't help but feel for her misfortunes, not that she didn't deserve them but the way they have affected her is, well, tragic indeed. Oscar #2 could not have been received for a better performance than this one.

3.

Adèle Exarchopoulos in Blue is the Warmest Colour

A part of me is unsure about how much of Exarchopoulos' performance is in fact a performance. Yet, I am equally impressed by an actor who would let someone film them so intimately. I actually feel it would be harder for someone to just be like the way Exarchopoulos is in the film. Every emotion, every tear, all the eating, all the feelings- we see everything and while she might frustrate us with her irrationality at times, we are ultimately transfixed by her.  

2.

Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha

Up until the new year, I was sure that no one will be able to replace Gerwig's performance as the struggling almost-grown up protagonist of Frances Ha from my top spot. I kind of adore her. Frances is flawed but Gerwig puts so much charm into this performance. It is effortlessly real and humorous and just endlessly relatable. It might not be the best performance of the year but it's definitely one of my most favourites.

1.

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street

And then there was Leo. I kind of don't want to say anything because there is just SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE OH MY GOD!

Once upon a time I had written a post about how the majority of Leo's characters end up dead or mad or grieving and how I wanted him to tackle something lighter. Yes, WoWS has a terrifyingly dark reality to it, but it is also an outrageous and hilarious movie and much of this duality is thanks to Leo's performance as the wolf himself, Jordan Belfort. We don't realise when the three hours go by as we are completely entranced by the madness that is Belfort's existence and Leo sells every fucking minute of it. He plays a horrible human being but makes him insanely entertaining. The faces that he makes, my goodness! And then there is the physical comedy bit when he's suddenly doing straight-up slapstick. The drugs, the candle, the thumping, the flexing, the speeches, the curses- it is ridiculous the things that he does in the movie. But at the end of the day, it is the commitment to play so bold a role and do it using all of his gifts. I cannot tell you how happy it made me that Leo gave this performance looking the way he does. There are such set ideas about how appearances and "seriousness" in a role contributes to a better performance. Comic performances can be great performances too, as Leo proves here. Watch a clip of Jordan Belfort on Youtube and see how close a portrayal this is. And no, it is not simply funny. Though this film has no place for reflections, Leo still puts complexities into this role.

The first thing that had struck me about this performance was how it was simultaneously surprising and something I always knew Leo had in him. Oscar or no Oscar, this is the best performance of one of the most talented actors of our time and that is something to cherish. I don't know if Leo will ever be able to top this but I hope that he continues to dig into his comedic talents. Also, to really give a sense of how much I loved this performance, in case you were still unsure, it has definitely joined my top 5 male performances of all time.

"The real question is this: was all this legal? Absolutely not."- FAVOURITE EVERYTHING ELSE OF 2013

Just a mix of all my other favourites of the year. The favourite performances and favourite films lists are yet to come :)

• Ethan Wate, Beautiful Creatures- Because he talks about Titanic and Bukowski within 5 minutes of each other.
• Samantha, Her- She was just such an incredible person and, as weird as it may sound, so full of life.
• Shaikh, The Lunchbox- So simple and friendly. Both a common and an incredibly rare kind of man.
• Anna, Frozen- Because she wakes up like a normal female human.
• Gary King, The World's End- Even though I know he's kind of sad, Simon Pegg just infuses him with so much energy.
• Wadjda, Wadjda- Total badass heroine.
• Mason, Short Term 12- Just the way he connects to these troubled kids is amazing.
• Shannon Mullins, The Heat- Not just funny. But still, my god, soooo funny!
• Rosalyn, American Hustle- Because she's basically Jennifer Lawrence, and Jennifer Lawrence is awesomesauce.

Favourite Character of 2013- Frances from Frances Ha

Yes she's confused and whiny and all that, but she's also so likeable and funny and undateable. I love her.

• The Wolf of Wall Street- This would have been on the list on the basis of having Spike Jonze and Rob Reiner as part of the cast alone.
• Blue Jasmine- While our ladies shine the most, they are supported by a number of other fantastic actors.
• Nebraska- Ugh just look at those beautiful old faces!
• Prisoners- Though everyone doesn't get equal footing in terms of script, I thought all the actors did great work in this.

Best Ensemble of 2013- This is the End

So many reasons this could have been awful, but the actors play caricatures of themselves and really elevate the movie.

• Kaijus, Pacific Rim- Who needs character development when you can have supremely cool-looking monsters?
• Ted Hendricks, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty- I love Adam Scott to death but good lord, he can play an excellent a-hole! I wanted to slap him so much.
• The Eppses, 12 Years A Slave- While most of the white characters in film can be included in this list, Mr. and Mrs. Epps were a special breed of terrifying, loathsome creatures.
• Danny McBride, This is the End- "The fucker's gots to GOOO!"
• Bathsheba, The Conjuring- In order for a horror movie to work, it needs something truly frightening and Bathsheba was just that. We never see her properly but her presence is scary enough.
• Loki, Thor: The Dark World- This is the 3rd year in a row Hiddles' Loki has made it into this list. That's because he always manages to steal the show in every scene he is in.
• Pigs, Upstream Colour- Because whaaaaaaaaaat?? My brain shut down every time they were on screen.
• Alien, Spring Breakers- No, he is not a "villain" villain but he is a bad guy, completely corrupted by his desire and greed.
• Smaug/Khan- 2013 was supposed to be Benedict Cumberbatch's year but that didn't happen because his big films didn't use him well. Still, he was a more than decent villain for his screentime in both The Hobbit: blahblah Smaug and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Biggest villain of 2013- Uncle Charlie from Stoker

Oh he is just so sinister AND attractive. Forget India, I was confused by these feelings myself. And the film really just basks in Matthew Goode's gargantuan sex appeal.

• Gypsy Danger, Pacific Rim- It's mindblowingly amazeballs and it comes with a sword!
• Jonah Hill's teeth, The Wolf of Wall Street- They're a thing of beauty, aren't they?
• The clothes, Laurence Anyways- From that showstopping gown to those raining scarves- ugh I want it all!
• Milky Way, This is the End- We all want a bite of that Milky Way, and I don't even like Milky Way.
• Nail polish, Spring Breakers- It is literally a trend maker. Love it.
• The Gos' arms, Only God Forgives- I *might* have made this list just for this entry. But seriously, look at them.
• The video game, Her- Theodore's lonely life is reflected in the video game. It is both funny and tragic.
• The shoes, Stoker- When are a pair of shoes not just a pair of shoes? Also, I adore them.
• The lunchbox, The Lunchbox- That one lunchbox is sent to the wrong person, and lives are changed!

Favourite Object of 2013- The bicycle, Wadjda

Such a simple wish for a girl to have and to have so much riding on it, literally. It is a symbol and a ray of hope.

(newest addition, especially for 2013)

• Scarlett Johansson, Don Jon- Accompanied by her gum chewing, ScarJo sounds like something out of the Jersey Shore, but she still keeps it classy.
• Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine- It just sounds so affected, so made up. I love it.
• Margot Robbie, The Wolf of Wall Street- Kinda amazed that an Aussie can get that accent so right.
• James Franco, Spring Breakers- Franco just gives it his all. It's brilliant.

Favourite Accent of 2013- Emma Watson, The Bling Ring

I have been trying to learn it ever since the first teaser came out. It's hilarious.

Favourite Quotes of 2013

"Love is too weak a word for what I feel - I luuurve you, you know, I loave you, I luff you, two F's, yes I have to invent, of course I - I do, don't you think I do?"

There is no other way to describe how much I love, luurve, loave and luff these two.

Aren't you excited??



Final Adieu to 2010

So...I finally watched all the "Oscar-worthy" films of 2010. Well, as many as possible. No more 2010 films for now. Just general ones, of any year. This is a final compilation of all possible lists regarding 2010 films

  A. Best Films
So I had already made an incomplete list of top ten 2010 films here. Now I could make a top ten list again, but instead I'll include films and their ranks till whichever place the previous number 10 spot had been. It adds up to an even top 20. Ain't I just awesome?
The New List (those in the previous list don't have a description):


1) The Social Network


2) 127 Hours- Oh My Lord! Why did Danny Boyle not make this two years back and win the Oscar for this instead of the over-hyped Slumdog Millionaire?? This film was incredible! James Franco, in his one man show, between a rock and a very hard place, and the gorgeous editting and edge-of-the-seat feel- this film is certainly one of the best this year. It's rather unfortunate it fell out of everyone's award radar, but not mine. My brain totally fuzzled in a certain would-have-been-gross-of-not-superbly-yet-chillingly-filmed-gem-of-a-scene. You know what I'm talking about *wink*.


3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1


4) Inception


5) Black Swan- Yes, an upgrade (technically not). Not because I love the now number 6 less, but after a reviewing, I love and respect Black Swan more. For Millepeid baby!


6) Easy A


7) Toy Story 3


8) Never Let Me Go


9) The King's Speech- The very first public speech in the film, when Colin Firth as King George VI or Bertie struggles to take words out of his mouth, and the echoes...oh my heart melted. Mr. Firth is a very well-spoken Englishman, but when he transformed himself into this reluctant stammering king, an unparalleled performance of a lifetime along with cinematic magic took place. Beautiful film, and great supporting performances from both "geisha girl" Geoffrey Rush and "exquisite and no-nonsense queen" Helena Bonham Carter.


10) I Love You Phillip Morris- Why does noone care about this incredibly hilarious and heart-warming film? Probably the two most underrated and under-appreciated leading men in Hollywood- Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor star in this sweet, fantastical romantic comedy that really happened. It really did.


11) I Am Love- Tilda the Goddes! She's incredible and this film, so beautifully shot mostly in sunny and snowy Italy, in quite lovely too. A simple and complicated story of a high-class Italian family and their little secrets and lives, I Am Love is the only foreign-language film I saw of last year and it mesmerised me completely.


12) Somewhere- Oh so beautiful...one of the biggest tragedies of my life is that I'm not a character in a Sofia Coppola film. I love the way everyone looks in her films, especially her women. And in this film, it was the stunning Elle Fanning. She plays the daughter of the eternally bored and widely loved actor Stephen Dorff, who's existence is confined within his weird-ass room in the very shady Chateau Marmont. Sounds boring? Believe you me, it's not, because thw way it is shot and feels and how unknowingly we feel for both the father and daughter is what the Sofia Coppola touch is all about.


13) Scott Pilgrim vs The World


14) The Town- I hate Ben Affleck. But still I could not deny the energy and the smoothness of this film. It was a great crime film, and the performance by Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm make it very interesting to see.


15) The Ghost Writer 


16) True Grit- I'm not one for westerns, having had seen only 3 in my whole life. But this film was something else. Maybe it was because it was written and made by the Coen Brothers. Maybe because it starred the Dude. Maybe because it has a character called La Beouf played by the always brilliant Matt Damon. Maybe it was because it marks the beginning of the gorgeous and superb Haille Steinfeld. I don't know, but I sure did enjoy it.


17) Blue Valentine- Fact of life: Ryan Gosling with a balding scalp can make me earthquake as much as Ryan Gosling without a balding scalp can. Now that that's established, I have to say what a great actor, and what an intense performance. Also that the almost equally accomplished Michelle Williams was able to stand up to him. A bittersweet film if there ever was one.


18) The Fighter- Finally Christian Bale'sm mazing body transformations caught attention of critics, along with nutritionalists. It's unfortunate that he's receviving acclaim as the supporting actor, as he is clearly a co-lead. Mark Wahlberg too, has completed his transformation from Marky Mark to one of the most dedicated actors in Hollywood. Add to that actual and equally brilliant supporting roles from Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, The Fighter adds up to a highly enjoyable and touching sports film.




19) The Kids Are All Right- It stars two of my favourite middle-aged actresses who can always light-up the screen with their faces and performances. I love Annette "The Goddess" Bening and Julianne "The Darling" Moore! And such a sweet film. Mark Ruffalo was too cool. A very enjoyable dramedy, though a bit too loved by the crtics.


20) Kick Ass

B. My Favourite Performances of 2010:


1) Colin Firth as King George VI- the stuttering, the pain, the anger, the warmth. Also the build-up from last year's equally amazing A Single Man. Beautiful performance from Mr. Firth, who I like just the way he is- a king.


2) Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers- The way she controls herself and the way she loses the control- so shocking and poignant and scary. The effort that she put in, both to become a pro ballerina and give just the most incredible performance, is groundbreaking.


3) James Franco as Aron Ralston- To carry a whole film alone, confined in a small scary place, and blowing the audience's mind, that's just a bit of the work Mr. Franco did in 127 Hours. And we all know, what he did, we can never do.


4) Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg- From the assumed confidence to the apparent self-doubt, from the assholeness to the loneliness, every emotion on Eisenberg's face and voice showed clear as water. A very brilliant performance, but I sure hope it won't be his best as he obviously has a lot to offer.


5) Christian Bale as Dickey Ward- It's scary whenever he loses the weight, but this performance balanced it out. Amazing.


6) Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin and Tommy D- Two beautiful and heart-wrenching performances. I'm so proud of him.


7) Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast- She delivered. Like noone else. The King's Speech had period drama, Black Swan had Aronofsky's twisted vision, The Social Network had Sorkin's witty script. Easy A had Emma Stone. 'Nuff said.


8) Jim Carrey as Steven Russel- He's such a funny man and this might be one of his best performances to date. He knows what is over the top, and he does it so well that it becomes believable. It's such an excellent quality...how does Hollywood not see it?? How???????????


9) Ryan Gosling as Dean Pereira- He's funny, musical, goofy, loving, forgiving and gorgeous. What an actor!


10) Annette Bening as Nic- She's strong and funny and sad, and the moment she breaks out in a Joni Mitchell medley we know what a performance this is. I love her.


11) Elle Fanning as Cleo Marco- She's so beautiful, and in her aloof childlike performance, she wins thousands of hearts.


12) Tilda Swinton as Emma Recchi- The classy and quintessential wife of a rich Italian household, with a dirty secret. The camera loves her, maybe because of her beauty or maybe because even when she does nothing, she's acting.


13) Jennifer Lawrence as Ree Dolly- The big discovery of this year. She's so natural, and my new favourite young actress.


14) Chloe Mortez as Hit Girl/Mindy Macready- Awesome. No other word. And well, kick ass!


15) Emma Watson as Hermione Granger- The prettiest girl in the world, and also one of the strongest. She held all Harry, Ron and the film together.


16) Jeremy Renner as James "Jem" Coughlin- Violent and volitile, his performance fuels the film.

17) Hailee Steinfeld as Mattiie Ross- Not supporting, definitely lead. What a future this young lady has has...gives me chills.Honourable mentions- Jennifer Lawrence as Ree Dolly and everyone in Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

C. My Favourite Scenes of 2010:


1) The Transformation in Black Swan- I forgot the most basic of all living things functions during this scene- how to breathe. And I'm not exaggerating.


2) Deathly Hallows Story in Harry Potter 7- what a pleasant and unforgettable surprise. Fueled by Emma Watson's beautiful voice.


3) The Condescending scene in The Social Network- BAM! Diss! Awesome!


4) The Video scene in 127 Hours- It was funny and tragic at the same time.


5) Pocket Full O' Sunshine in Easy A- I need that damn card!


6) The End of Toy Story 3- Not gonna ruin the surprise for those who haven't seen it, but I really love Woody and Andy.


7) The Betrayal in The Social Network- Eisenberg's face and Andrew's suit and anger.


8) The Beginning of Scott Pilgrim vs The World- Votte way to start a film. The credits don't roll by, they shock and startle.


9) The Hand in 127 Hours- Painfully brilliant.


10) Harry and Hermione Dance in Harry Potter 7- Poignant and beautiful, kills the romantic in me...in a good way.


11) Black Sheep in Scott Pilgrim vs The World- I guess the best singing part in the film, though there are loads to choose from.


12) The Joni Medley in The Kids Are All Right- So random and funny and sweet. I love Annette.


13) The Ice-Skating in Somewhere- Elle Fanning ice-skates to Gewn Stefani’s Cool in a beautiful light blue costume while Stephen Dorff and the audience watches on. With the Sofia Coppola effect ofcourse.


14) You Always Hurt the One You Love scene in Blue Valentine- This scene is magical. Ryan Gosling’s lovely voice accompanied by Michelle Williams’ adorable tap dancing, while they innocently sing out the story of the whole film.


15) The King’s Speech in The King’s Speech- One feels strangely proud watching it.


16) The Scream in Never Let Me Go- Heart-breaking as hell.

      All in all, 2010 was in my opinion one of the best years for films. Maybe it's because I've never cared like this, or because I was able to see so many of the films, but still this year gave me and everyone some really memorable films, performances and moments.
      Ten-twenty years from now, people will still be talking about what happened at the end of Inception and Black Swan, still wondering the truth behind The Social Network and The King's Speech, still being amazed by the true life tales of 127 Hours and I Love You Phillip Morris and of course, still loving Harry Potter 7.
      It was also a great year for breakthroughs- Andrew G, Emma Stone, Mila Kunis, Elle Fanning, Noomy Rapace, Jennifer Lawrence, Mia Wasikowska, Rooney Mara, Chloe Mortez, Hailee Steinfeld etc.

Silence is the most powerful scream

Video- Classic Silent Types

WATCH THIS!!
NYTimes made 14 actors act out 14 silent movie types in segments of 1 minute each. The only silent movies I've ever seen are Charlie Chaplin's and Laurel and Hardy's. So I cannot say which film or which actor the actors in the video are portraying. Hence I decided to give each segment my own name, just based on the story being told.

1) Javier Bardem- Bittersweet Symphony
2) James Franco- Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who's the Dreamiest of them All?
3) Natalie Portman- The Drama Queen/Too Gorgeous for Her Own Good
4) Jesse Eisenberg- I'm CEO Bitch!
5) Chloe Mortez- Anger Management
6) Matt Damon- Read the Curse Words off My Lips
7) Michael Douglas- The Chair/ The Boss
8) Jennifer Lawrence- Thriller/ Rape in the Valley
9) Noomi Rapace- Total Effect (everything together makes the shot work- the singing, her earing, the cigarette, the perfectly polished nails, the dazzling microphone)
10) Vincent Cassel- Happy Feet/Fly Me to the Moon
11) Anthony Mackie- Run Forrest Run!
12) Robert Duvall- Gilette/ Shaving for Dummies
13) Lesley Manville- Telephone Conversation/ Wrong Number
14) Tilda Swinton- Angels with Dirty Faces/ A Prayer


My absolute favourites have to be Natalie Portman, Noomi Rapace, Vincent Cassel and Tilda Swinton. I was very happy that younger actors like Jesse Eisenberg, Chloe Mortez and Jennifer Lawrence got a chance too. Vincent Cassel is bloody sexy. And Tilda Swinton is an absolute Goddess, I love her to bits.

All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.

"This is Harvey Milk speaking from the camera store on the evening of Friday, November 18. This is to be played only in the event of my death by assassination. I fully realize that a person who stands for what I stand for, an activist, a gay activist, becomes a target or the potential target for somebody who is insecure, terrified, afraid, or very disturbed themselves. Knowing that I could be assassinated at any moment, any time, I feel it's important that some people know my thoughts. And so the following are my thoughts, my wishes, and my desires, whatever, and I'd like to pass them on and have them played for the appropriate people.

I have never considered myself a candidate. I have always considered myself part of a movement, part of a candidacy. I considered the movement the candidate. I think that there's a distinction between those who use the movement and those who are part of the movement. I think I was always part of the movement. I wish I had time to explain everything I did. Almost everything was done with an eye on the gay movement.

The other aspect of this tape is the business of what should happen if there is an assassination. I cannot prevent some people from feeling angry and frustrated and mad, but I hope they will take that frustration and that madness and instead of demonstrating or anything of that type, I would hope they would take the

power and I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay doctor come out, every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let that world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody would imagine. I urge them to do that, urge them to come out. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights.

I ask for the movement to continue, for the movement to grow, because last week I got a phone call from Altoona, Pennsylvania, and my election gave somebody else, one more person, hope. And after all, that's what this is all about. It's not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power — it's about giving those young people out there in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias, hope. You gotta give them hope."

-From a tape recording to be played in the event of his assassination, quoted in Randy Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk (1982)

Some films and some people are just there to inspire us. After watching Gus Van Sant's Milk yesterday, I was full of emotions and respect. I mean I love the idea of revolutions, when people fight against all the wrongs that the society and the government force upon us, but to be led in such a revolution by someone like Harvey Milk would have been life-changing. I already feel that my life has been forever altered in this wonderful way just by watching the film.

      Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected in a public office in USA, in the Castro District of San Francisco. He was famously called the 'Mayor of Castro Street'. He became one of the city supervisors. He campaigned fiercely against a surge of anti-gay movements that bigots like Anita Bryant and John Briggs. He got many many followers and won a national movement against Briggs Initiative, which was a proposed law to fire homosexual tecahers. However, soon after he was killed alongside Mayor George Moscone by Dan White, another city supervisor who had resigned recently but wanted his job back. 25000-40000 people marched the streets of San Francisco with candles to honour him.

      The film shows the amazing life of Milk, but with so much more. It starts and ends with the tape that Milk made to be played at the event of his assassination. It showed his humble beginnings and his meteoric rise. His love affairs and his brilliant friends. The marches and the feel of USA in the 70s. Gus Van Sant used a lot the material that was already there from the many documentaries on Milk, most importantly The Times of Harvey Milk directed by Rob Epstein, to show people like Anita Bryant and the gay marches, and ofcourse the announcement of Milk and Moscone's death. Along with that we got a look into Milk's personal life- his lovers Scott Smith and Jack Niro, his friends like Cleve Jones, Danny Nicoletta and Anne Kronenberg.

      Dustin Lance Black came and breathed life into the almost-dead film that had been in production for fifteen years. He showed Milk as a lovely and powerful leader. The dialogues are funny and impactful. The somewhat non-linear chain of events keep the viewer anxious and happy at the same time. Van Sant, who generally makes films about people who are "different", namely To Die For, Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho and Psycho, maid Milk so perfectly that the earlier ones now almost fade in comparison. But that is just my opinion. The precision in everything, from the place to the clothes to the dialogue is incredible. Once again he showed the vulnerable side of men without, no pun intended, gaying them up. I mean, just how Milk said, they were all men, who only loved with their hearts and not according to prevailing mores of the society. All the 'good' characters are bright and colourful, and the 'bad' ones bleak and sad. Amongst the critics who were rolling over it, the film got a positive reaction from many Christian magazines as well, and I think to make a film about such an important person and movement, and not to offend anyone, is just fantastic. To love one another, that's what humanity is, and Harvey Milk and this film showed that to all of us.

      Now actor-wise, what can be said about Sean Penn's acting abilities that hasn't been said before. He's a truly gifted actor who portrayed Milk so well that he stole the Oscar from teh favourite Mickey Rourke. He was passionate and adorable and just so stunning as Milk. He became Milk in this film, and no one had any doubt about it. I loved him so much in this role, and the way he spoke and carried himslef. Everything he said was honest and genuine. This was a Sean Penn film through and through. But that doesn't mean that the other actors and characters were not good. They were very important to show us Milk's character and beliefs. James Franco is always fantastic, and though he must have trampled over many women's hearts by playing a gay man- Scott Smith, he is one of the best young actors out these. So is the disgustingly talented Emile Hirsch. He was so cute and funny as Cleve Jones, with the hair and the glasses (must have), and the attitude (absolutely must have). Josh Brolin was very good too, playing the psychopathic bigoted arsehole Dan White. I couldn't recognise Diego Luna who was the lovestruck Enrique in The Terminal. That's a good thing as he was so sweet and mental and tragic as Milk's lover Jack. And Scott Pilgrim's Allison Pill was also there as Anne Kronenberg, the lesbian among the gays, but fabulous nonetheless.

      I have to mention the ending. It is absolutely one of the best endings I've ever seen and I'm a big believer is in the whole "All's well that end's well" ideology. From the moment that Milk is assasinated and he looks out of his window to see the opera house that he had spoken to Scott about, to the absolutely heart-wrenchingly beautiful candlelight vigil, and the fact that Milk somehow had predicted his ending..."I'll never make it to 50" (Milk died when he was 48), to the assassination, to the uprising. It was just heartfelt and exhuberant and just so right.

I'm just going to go ahead and say it. Watch it if you have any heart in you, and you'll love it!



My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you!