Previous 10: 15 December - Closing In

It would seem fitting that the only film in the "Les Autres" category would be one I don't know where to place in terms of year or in the simple terms of "like" or "dislike." According to some sites, IFC releases Abel Ferrara's Go Go Tales this year at some point, but I can't find evidence of such on either IFC's site or anywhere else for that matter. While there was plenty to like about his last film Mary (which, to this day, I believe IFC has done nothing with), there's a lot about Go Go Tales that demands a bit of settling before I decide my feelings on it (and, yes, that is Asia Argento French kissing a dog). At least two people suggested that Frost/Nixon worked not only because it was based on excellent source material but also that Ron Howard wasn't working with that absolute hack Akiva Goldsman. It's a pretty good sign when my biggest complaint about a Ron Howard film revolves around the overuse of eyeliner on Michael Sheen. Also, if anyone wants to explain to me why they (or anyone else) liked Gran Torino, I'd be much obliged. Most of the rest of the films will show up somewhere on my year-end round-up, so expect more close to the end of the month! P.S.: Even if you're slightly curious or a closet gore fan, I would still suggest it better to avoid Donkey Punch and Gutterballs altogether.

La Crème

Frost/Nixon - dir. Ron Howard - USA/UK/France - Universal - with Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Matthew Macfadyen, Rebecca Hall, Oliver Platt, Toby Jones

Gomorrah [Gomorra] - dir. Matteo Garrone - Italy - IFC Films - with Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imparto, Salvatore Cantalupo, Gigio Morra, Maria Nazionale, Carmine Paternoster, Salvatore Abruzzese, Marco Macor, Ciro Petrone

Milk - dir. Gus Van Sant - USA - Focus Features - with Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Alison Pill, Diego Luna, Victor Garber, Joseph Cross, Stephen Spinella, Denis O'Hare, Lucas Grabeel

Summer Hours [L'heure d'été] - dir. Olivier Assayas - France - IFC Films - with Charles Berling, Juliette Binoche, Jérémie Renier, Dominique Reymond, Edith Scob, Valérie Bonneton, Isabelle Sadoyan, Kyle Eastwood, Alice de Lencquesaing, Emile Berling

Les Autres

Go Go Tales - dir. Abel Ferrara - Italy/USA - IFC Films - with Willem Dafoe, Matthew Modine, Bob Hoskins, Sylvia Miles, Asia Argento, Roy Dotrice, Joe Cortese, Burt Young, Pras, Riccardo Scamarcio, Stefania Rocca, Bianca Balti, Anita Pallenberg, Lou Doillon

The Bad

Changeling - dir. Clint Eastwood - USA - Universal - with Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Amy Ryan, Michael Kelly, Colm Feore, Jason Butler Harner

Donkey Punch - dir. Oliver Blackburn - UK - Magnet Releasing - with Robert Boulter, Sian Breckin, Tom Burke, Nichola Burley, Julian Morris, Jay Taylor, Jaime Winstone

Gran Torino - dir. Clint Eastwood - USA - Warner Bros. - with Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley

Gutterballs - dir. Ryan Nicholson - Canada - TLA/Danger After Dark - with Alastair Gamble, Mihola Terzic, Nathan White, Wade Gibb, Candice Lewald

Mamma Mia! - dir. Phyllida Lloyd - USA/UK/Germany - Universal - with Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper