Blindness - Should You Have Seen It?

With little new buzz circulating this week, except for CHE getting a release date of Dec. 12th, I thought I’d take a look back at the released films that made the top 30 list and see what held up to the hype. Additionally, I’m including a top five list of the films that should have made the original top 30. So let’s get discussing.

The Unseen
Several films that made my original list remain unseen by me, having lost my interest. HOUNDDOG got trashed. CITY OF EMBER is getting a lukewarm reception. TOWELHEAD received love it or hate it reviews then disappeared from the face of the Earth. Both CHOKE and MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA garnered mixed acclaim. If you’ve seen them, share with the others whether they’re worth the price of admission.

The Witnessed
Body of Lies (Oct. 10)
Peeking in a #30 on the top 30, Ridley Scott’s spy thriller is better than the first trailer made it out to be, but not as good as SYRIANA, which it wants to be.

Appaloosa (Sept. 17)
Ed Harris’ oater has a classic Western-style that Roger Ebert likened to the LONESOME DOVE series. The friendship between Harris’s character and Viggo Mortensen’s is the element that makes this film worth seeing.

Burn After Reading (Sept. 12)
While it’s not in the same league as the Coen Brothers’ NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, this spy spoof is dark and often hilarious. I placed it at #2 on my top 30 anticipated films list, but by no means will it be the second best film of the year. That said it’s still the best film I’ve seen so far from the original list.

The Top Five Late Bloomers
Honorable Mentioned) Blindness (Oct. 3)
Because it hit theaters last week and I’ve already seen it, I’m just giving it an honorable mention here. That said, despite all the negative reviews, it’s still the best film I’ve seen this fall thus far. It’s bleak and depressing, but wonderfully allegoric and thought provoking. Those who have seen it seem to be responding better than the critics did.

5) Fear[s] of the Dark (Oct. 24)
I’m a fan of horror and animation, so you put both of them together and you have my attention. Visually this looks wonderfully creepy. I really hope it doesn’t get dumped into theaters and disappears like a costume store on Nov. 1st.

4) I’ve Loved You So Long (Oct. 24)
Kristin Scott Thomas is getting amazing buzz for her performance. It seems this tale of a woman reentering society after getting out of jail is going to be a must see if you want to have seen all the Best Actress nominees before Oscar night.

3) Rachel Getting Married (Oct. 3)
Jonathan Demme’s Altman-esque wedding film is getting rave reviews. It opened in a limited run last week and expanded this week. I really hope to see this soon and report back on whether the praise is justified.

2) Slumdog Millionaire (Nov. 28)
Danny Boyle’s tale of a young man who goes on India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” received the best buzz out of the Toronto Film Festival and it hasn’t died down since. I loved Boyle’s MILLIONS and have like all his other work. Eagerly awaiting a full trailer.

1) The Wrestler (Dec. 19)
Mickey Rourke is said to be amazing in this story of a washed-up pro-wrestler. Regional wrestling circuits are a part of the old carnival scene. I’ve always felt the world would be a great place to set a story for wounded souls. Director Darren Aronofsky and writer Robert D. Siegel seem to have seen it too. I can’t wait to see what they’ve got a camel clutch on.