Enchanted (2007)

Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden
Director: Kevin Lima
Country: USA
Genre: Family

Enchanted is targeted toward twelve-year-old girls and this guy over here.

Why does this film work? For all intents and purposes, it should be obnoxious as hell, but there’s something about its complete and utter lack of shame at being so innocent and sentimental that allow it to succeed. Amy Adams, no doubt, is the reason this film flourishes. It’s one of the best bits of casting in the entire decade, as she looks like a cartoon character and plays her naivety at a perfect volume. James Marsden provides quite a few laughs, that should be cheesy, but if you’re buying into the film by the time he arrives it’s not hard to find yourself chuckling. Enchanted straddles a line between Disney parodying itself and paying homage to the films that made it famous. If you’re open to the possibility that a family film could be entertaining, you might actually find a lot of pleasure in this film. If you’re a bitter cynic, stay away, stay far far away.

1001 Movie Club: The Host (2006)

When the term “monster movie” is thrown about, to some it evokes the shaky hand-held glimpses at the Gozilla-esque creature from Cloverfield. To some others, it brings back memories of the Godzilla-esque creature from 20 Million Miles to Earth. I’m sure somewhere it even evokes memories of Godzilla. But rarely does a monster movie find a way into the human psyche and human spirit.

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Batman Begins (2005)

Starring: Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Country: USA
Genre: Action

I’m the bat, man.

The Dark Knight is obviously herald as the superhero movies to end all superhero movies, but it wouldn’t be half as strong as it is without a firm structure to stand upon. Batman Begins is one hell of a film. It’s the reboot to put all other reboots to shame. The elements really aligned, from a suspiciously talented director to a dream cast that makes the mouth water. Add to it a script that stays faithful to the character while crafting an intriguing and thrilling story, plus cinematography by incredibly skillful up and coming director of photography, and you have a rock solid flick. Christopher Nolan has almost single handedly shown that even superhero movies should be taken seriously in addition to how entertaining they can be.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupart Grint, Emma Watson
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Country: UK, USA
Genre: Fantasy

Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.

After two films that followed the same formula, a new director stepped in to helm the third installment of the series. Alfonso Curaón, probably best known for Children of Men, turns the frothiness of the previous two films and shrouds it in the dark of night. Where the first two films left audiences with a resonating feeling of sitting by the firelight, Azkaban leaves the audience with the feeling of being lost in the woods at midnight. Gary Oldman steps in, in the perfect way that only Oldman can to any role he’s given, to the notorious role of Sirius Black. The mystique of the Harry Potter series takes a turn for the better here, foreshadowing the long journey to come.

Rataouille (2007)

Starring: (voices) Patton Oswalt, Brian Dennehy, Janeane Garofalo
Director: Brad Bird
Country: USA
Genre: Animation

Leave it to Pixar to make French cuisine appealing to children.

Ratatouille is probably Pixar’s most adult film, both in execution and content. The film follows a rat who has an impeccable palate for culinary delicacies who befriends a bumbling chef that wears his heart on his sleeve. It’s not exactly The Brave Little Toaster. But if we’re being honest, Ratatouille wasn’t made for children so much as it was to be ‘family acceptable,’ meaning, opposite of most animated films, it’s fun for adults and kids might get something out of it too. Perhaps it’s Brad Bird’s excuse to fully explore a fascination for French dishes such as the film’s title, but that’s not to discredit Ratatouille by any means. In fact, it further demonstrate’s Pixar’s unrivaled ability to turn any subject into a successful and touching story.

The Wackness (2008)

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Jonathan Levine
Country: USA
Genre: Dramedy

Coming of age isn’t just for teenagers.

The coming-of-age film can usually be riddled with independent film clichés bogging down any semblance of tenderness the story may hold, but if the film is really driven from a personal place and passion it can usually overcome these obstacles. Such is the case with Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness. The cast is as solid as they come, with strong performances from both experienced veterans (Ben Kingsley = greatest actor ever,) as well as newcomers (the underrated Olivia Thirlby, and under seen Josh Peck.) It’s a tale of first love, a journey into manhood, and a huge slice of nostalgia as it takes place in the mid-nineties and boasts a soundtrack of the greatest era of rap music. Like the best independent dramedies, it balances its quirkiness with its darkness really well, and ultimately creates a portrait of what it was like to take the first step toward growing up at age 18 and at age 50.

The Machinist (2004)

Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Sharian
Director: Brad Anderson
Country: Various
Genre: Mystery

Twice the Bale performance at half the weight!

Brad Anderson, of cult classic Session 9 fame, crafts this Hitchcockian mystery of an insomniac trying to piece together the puzzle of his faltering life. Sometime between American Psycho and Batman Begins Christian Bale found the time to lose 63 pounds for this harrowing role, and ends up putting in one of his best performances. The film is chock full of the symbolism that mystery buffs drool over, but it’s all built on a very real human drama which is what gives any film longevity. The script, the acting, and the direction all work with such synergy that it’s hard to believe this film hasn’t received more attention than the “Christian Bale skeleton” film. It’s dark and twisted, but always has a sense of fun in its execution.