LOST and Found

TELEVISION I've been enjoying some of the downtime created by the lack of new episodes of my favorite TV programs. There has been more time for movies, and Medium, Nip/Tuck and Project Runway have kept me busy. But the one show that has kept me waiting since last May is Lost. Even with a reduced season (8 instead of 16 episodes) due to the writer's strike, I am ready to get back to the island and find out what the creators and producers have put together for us. What makes this show work so well is the perfect blend of drama, multi-layered characters, mystery, a dash of science fiction, literary references and detailed storytelling that never ceases to surprise.

Most entertainment sites have recently been posting cast interviews and revealing spoilers but be sure to check out and catch up with the character profiles posted daily at TV Guide until Thursday's premiere. They kicked off with Sun Kwon, then followed with Desmond, Juliet and others with today's highlight being Kate, a character that is as mysterious as that smoke monster-inhabited island. So forget about the past and get ready to flash forward into what should be a thrilling season four. If you need to catch up on the past three seasons, check out Lost in 8:15!

In Treatment

TELEVISION There is nothing I like more than character-driven dramas and HBO is serving up five sessions a week with its new serial In Treatment. Gabriel Byrne is commanding as the therapist, Paul, who offers perspective and ultimately gets involved in his patients' lives. There is no better way to see the multiple sides of these characters than when they're alternately introspective or combative with Paul as he attempts to make them aware of what their behavior means and from where their motivations evolve.
The acting is engaging, diverse and always thought provoking. Patients show up once a week on the same day. Laura (Melissa George) shows up each Monday to discuss her problems with men and complicates matters in the first episode by confessing her fantasies of Paul. Alex (Blair Underwood) is a navy pilot with father issues who challenges Paul every Tuesday. Wednesdays are reserved for Sophie (Mia Wasikowska), a smart teenage gymnast that resists therapy after a supposed accidental injury but may have family issues causing her rebelliousness. The next day a mismatched Jake and Amy (Josh Charles, Embeth Davitz) try to work out the imbalances of their marriage. On Fridays Paul visits his therapist Gina (Dianne Wiest) where we hear not only what is bothering him but his perceptions of the past week and how his own life has influenced the advice he gives, which may ultimately serve his own purposes.
The confinement of the meeting room is the perfect setting for this drama. There is nowhere to go other than to stay focused on the conversations. The camera has more options than you'd think but is best when the discussion heats up and slowly moves in on the characters' faces, not only for inspection but closing in on what may be the realization of their seemingly meaningless stories.
The writing is smart, insightful and becomes more engrossing with each scheduled visit. Make an appointment each night Monday through Friday at 9:30 to catch the next session.

Best Films of 2007

The following choices are based on 124 films I screened in a theater in 2007. Still there are some titles that held a strong interest for me but I didn't get to screen, like "Lars and the Good Girl", "Margot at the Wedding", "In the Valley of Elah" and "Control". And then there are titles on DVD that I’ve screened that make up what I didn't see in the theater. (And I'll save television programs and performances for the end of the season.) In general, it seems a lot of the quality films this year were taken from well-regarded source material and little written directly for the screen. Not sure what that’s saying except that perhaps I better make more time for reading.


There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson skillfully oversees the acting, cinematography, and music to give a stunning look at an oilman's greed gone out of control in Southern California at the beginning of the 20th century. It's particularly heightened when contrasted with bible preaching and the emotional bonds of fathers and sons. Every shot is carefully thought out, the music enhances each plot point, and Daniel Day-Lewis has created a new face of evil in epic proportions.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
I was initially skeptical to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, having seen numerous stage productions of the amazing Stephen Sondheim musical, but was also curious as to how director Tim Burton might pull off material that seemed appropriate for his style. The choices made to tailor the material from one medium to the other suit it perfectly. Eliminating songs sung by the chorus helped a lot. And the dark look of London is the perfect backdrop for a barber seeking revenge and serving up pies with his murdered victims. (Quite the opposite of the sweet tarts served up in this year's confection Waitress.) Though Johnny Depp's voice occasionally sounds a bit thin, particularly when reaching for the high notes, his acting makes up for any shortness of breadth. Nothing's going to harm you in this successful production.

No Country for Old Men
There is yet more bloodshed in Joel and Ethan Coen well-crafted adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel. The Coen’s have found the perfect source material to match their style and sensibility. Their pitch perfect deliberate pacing is involving and adds appropriate tension, particularly when comparing the consequences of moral choices and fate. Lots of great performances here but who can forget Javier Bardem as a professional hit man with a page boy hairdo wielding a stun gun and carrying a tank of compressed air?

3:10 to Yuma
James Mangold’s remake of the 1957 classic based on a short story by Elmore Leonard hits the mark with one of the best shoot-‘em-up action flicks of the year. Thoughtful performances by Christian Bale, as the rancher who hopes to earn a reward for escorting an outlaw (Russell Crowe) to meet the train to Yuma are nicely contrasted with gang member Ben Foster who memorably plays his part with psychopathic gusto. Smart direction, stunning cinematography, lots of subtext and character connections that never miss their mark elevate an otherwise standard cowboy movie and squarely hit a bull’s-eye.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)
Daring in that it's mostly filmed from the perspective of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffered a stroke and lives with "locked-in syndrome" (paralysis affecting most of his body except his left eye) we get a vision of what it may have been like for Bauby to see and hear. The contortions of actor Mathieu Amalric's body are not easy to see nor probably easy to maintain. Julian Schnabel's bio-pic celebrates the human spirit by communicating the importance of connecting no matter how large the odds.

Into the Wild*
Emile Hirsch embodies the spirit of Christopher McCandless in Sean Penn's thoughtful portrait of the idealistic 20-year-old who rejected the materialism he was taught to respect. The title suggests going somewhere savage but it also shows us the mind of a young man that is alternately rebellious and a free spirit happily living an idealistic lifestyle. Penn's direction is ambitious showing vast landscapes from around the country and up to Alaska mirroring the beauty of McCandless' intentions and the extent that he's willing to go to achieve it. The nonlinear structure of the story pits his solitude against a variety of people he meets, ultimately realizing too late that it's the connections we make that are truly valuable.

The Savages
The scars of bad parenting and damaged childhoods are gently revealed when Jon and Wendy Savage need to arrange for their father to be admitted into a nursing home. Director Tamara Jenkins’ script is the perfect combination of wit and perception and is kicked up a notch with nuanced performances by Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the siblings.

Across the Universe*
Julie Taymor's film uses songs by The Beatles to create a simple love story but makes up for anything lacking with lots of great singing, visual splendor and heartfelt entertainment. Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood are the romantic couple that we follow on a journey through a mixture of psychedelia, war protesting and love, love, love.

Paprika
An anime treat bursting with color that blurs the lines between reality and dreams. That's because someone has stolen a dream machine and is playing with the lives of others. It's science against nature, with psychological twists that keep you glued to the screen. And did I mention the colors? Leave the kids home for this one.

Away from Her*
Alzheimer’s is given sensitive treatment in Sarah Polley’s directing debut. The simplicity of her presentation accents the way the disease can suddenly intrude on your life without warning. Involving performances are headed by Julie Christie who portrays a multitude of expressions including confusion, love, recognition and detachment.

Other favorites:

Jindabyne*
Once*
La Vie en Rose*
SiCKO*
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
I'm Not There
Red Road*
The Host (AKA Gwoemul) 괴물

*See full reviews on this site