Burn after blogging

Updated w/ JT's prevacation-hurried, bare-bones numbers.

Ah, Dave Kehr's seasonal preview blurbs in the Times--and this time I am able to find them online, which saves me a lot of work but presents me with an ethical dilemma. Now, granted, my reproducing Kehr's work in full on a blog viewed by maybe a half-dozen people, most of whom get the Times already, is not going to affect circulation. But I'm pretty prickly about copyright issues, being in a biz that rather depends on the copyright.

So while I'll gleefully copy & paste titles and include some cast & crew info (which is of course in the public domain), if you want to read Kehr's blurbs, you're gonna have to go to the Times site and deal with the ads there: they're divided by month, September, October, November, and December.

Looks like a fairly lackluster season, frankly. Where's all the Oscar® fodder? As with last time, I'm in red, Jennie Tonic (to come; check back later) in green.

September, open

• August Evening--If (which is to say if it opens downtown).
• Bangkok Dangerous--No.
• Everybody Wants to Be Italian--No.
• The House of Adam--No.
• Mister Foe (aka Hammam Foe)--If.
• Okie Noodling II--Uh, I seem to have missed the review of this, but I'm gonna say prob'ly not. But you know, I swear I've seen a short documentary on noodling--i.e., barehanded catfish-catching, though I'm damned if I can tell you where or why. Oh, wait! It just came to me: it was at IFC a few months ago.
• Ping Pong Playa--Directed by Jessica Yu (In the Realms of the Unreal, which was exceptionally good, and Protagonist, whom some found ditto); if.
• The Pool--If.
• Save Me--Probably not.
• Un secret--Yes, which is to say even if it requires an M# slot--but I expect it to come to town in any case; oddly, the Times blurb doesn't include the best drawing card for me, Mathieu Amalric.
• Walking on Dead Fish--If: post-Katrina high school football flick narrated by Terry Bradshaw, and it's a damn good title.

September 11

• Able Danger--3.

September 12

• Burn After Reading--5, duh. 5.
• Flow: For Love of Water--3. 4.
• Forgiveness--3. 3.
• The Little Red Truck--3. 3.
• Loins of Punjab Presents--3. 3.
• Moving Midway--Saw trailer, looks potentially intriguing; 4. 3.
• Righteous Kill--Pacino + De Niro + New Haven location shooting = 4. 3.
• Secrecy--3. 3.
• Towelhead--Interesting: still showing on IMDb as Nothing Is Private; Alan Ball, thus 4. 4.
• The Tree of Life--3, though Jews + Italy almost raises it to 4. 3.
• Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys--It could be Tyler Perry's Million Dollar Gift Plus Free Popcorn to Every Moviegoer and I'd still be a 1. 2.
• The Women--A very soft, fearful 4; but even if it sucks, maybe it will inspire people (like me, e.g.) to take another look at the original, from The Movies' Best Year Ever. It seems not to be available currently on DVD, which suggests a lavish reissue upcoming. 2.

September 17

• Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived--Interesting, but . . . 3. 2.

September 18

• Man of Cinema: Pierre Rissient--3. 2.

September 19

• All of Us--3. 3+.
• Amexicano--Hopeful 3. 4+ (blog requirement).
• Appaloosa--Soft 4, strictly on the basis of cast: Ed Harris (who also cowrote and directs), Jeremy Irons, Viggo, and Renée Zellweger. 4.
• Article VI: Faith, Politics, America. Can't find it on IMDb, so, per Kehr: The role of religion in contemporary American politics, as examined by the filmmakers Bryan Hall and Jack Donaldson. So, like Religulous, but seriously, folks? 3.
• Battle in Seattle--Oh, I know I should be interested, but I'm just not: 3. 3.
• The Duchess--I bow to no one in my respect for the consistently ballsy roles La Keira has tackled and the acting chops she has developed so quickly, but I am really freakin' sick of this trailer and I just don't hold out much hope for the film: 3. 4.
• Tropa de Elite (Elite squad)--3, but willing to elevate. 3-.
• Das Fräulein--3. 4.
• Ghost Town--After the disappointment of Hamlet 2, I'm now calling Ricky Gervais the clear winner over Steve Coogan as the funniest Englishman working, and the trailer was amusing, so I'm wide open for this riff on The Sixth Sense: 4. 3.
• Hounddog--Takes a couple low-hangin' fuzzy ones to co-opt this title. Good cast, including Piper Laurie, who I guess has been working regularly all along, but I haven't seen her since . . . OK, finally: The Grass Harp (1995). Lots going on, could be a big mess, but 4. 3.
• Igor--Nice concept, decent trailer: hopeful 3. 3-.
• Lakeview Terrace--Trailer just looks ugly: 2. 2.
• My Best Friend's Girl--2. 2.
• Quilombo Country--Again, no help from IMDb, so: Chuck D of Public Enemy narrates a documentary, written and directed by Leonard Abrams, about the villages established by escaped slaves in Brazil’s hinterlands. Sounds fascinating, 4. 3.
• Bei yazi de nanhai (Taking father home)--A first feature, shot on amateur video; 3. 3.
• A Thousand Years of Good Prayers--3. 2 (Wayne Wang). (She still hasn't forgiven him for The Joy Luck Club.)

September 22

• A Londoni férfi (The man from London)--A Monday opening? Odd. Tilda back in her familiar territory of a film few will see. 3. 3.

September 24

• Stellet licht (Silent light)--3. 4.

September 26

• Blindness--4, despite Manohla Dargis's having pissed all over it at Cannes; based on one of my favorite novels of recent years, by one of my favorite living novelists. Plus, of course, My Future Wife Julianne Moore. 4.
• Choke--Yeah, OK, most offensive poster since . . . ever? But the trailer is a lot more appealing--I mean, Sam Rockwell and Kelly Macdonald, eh? 4. 2.
• Eagle Eye--Shia LaBeouf; nuff said: 2. 3.
• Fireproof--3. 3.
• Forever Strong--2. 2.
• Humboldt County--3. 3.
• The Lucky Ones--Trailer looks pretty gooey; 3. 3.
• Miracle at St. Anna--Speaking of gooey, never would have guessed from trailer that this is a Spike joint; since it is, 4. 3.
• Nights in Rodanthe--3. 3-.
• Obscene--Censorship doc.: 4. 3.
• Ripple Effect--3, but has potential. 3.
• Smother--Hopeful 3. 3-.
• Unspooled--4. 3-.
• Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell--I was 2 based on trailer, but Kehr tells me that the Modern Lovers are in it: 3. 3-.

October 1

• Ballast--4, based largely on Dargis's comments in the preview section. 4.

October 3

• Allah Made Me Funny--Initially read first word as "Allan," which, let's face it, would have been funnier; 3. 3.
• An American Carol--Sounds potentially very righty, though you'd think not, with Jon Voight's participation; 3. 4 (intriguing).
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua--Here it is, Dr. Debs--you know you've been waiting for it! Barely 2. 2.
• The Brothers Bloom--Trailer suggest that Rachel Weisz has a real talent for screwball; 4. 3.
• Flash of Genius--Times story raises 3 to 4 for me. 3.
• How to Lose Friends and Alienate People--Gosh, the trailer looks bad; only the cast makes it a 2. 4.
• Just Buried--Weak 3. 3.
• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist--Trailer looks too teen-y, and the leads don't charm me as they seem to charm everyone else. 3 (20-somethings a minus; Peter Sollett a plus).
• The Pleasure of Being Robbed--4. 3-.
• Rachel Getting Married--Potential breakthrough for Anne Hathaway, judging from the trailer; 4. 3.
• Religulous--Braving severe smugness warnings, I'm a 4. 3.

Christ, all that will have opened by the time I get back. Very unlikely I'll get to more than 3 or 4 of those.

October 8

• Delwende--4. 3-.
• RocknRolla--Nice title, but 3. 3.

October 10

• Ashes of Time Redux--3, nearly 4--new score featuring cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma. 2.
• Billy: The Early Years--Graham, i.e.; 2. 3.
• Body of Lies--Soft 4. 3.
• Breakfast with Scot--3. 3.
• City of Ember--4. 4 (Teenagers--arg, why? I know why, but still).
• The Express--Story of Ernie Davis--trailer promises formulaic inspiration; 3. The thirty-seventh inspirational-coach of Dennis Quaid's career. 3.
• Happy-Go-Lucky--Mike Leigh directs an irresistible fresh face, Sally Hawkins; 4. 4+.
• Nights and Weekends--Mumblecore, weak trailer; 2. 3.
• Opa!--Matthew Modine and the Final Crusade! Played the Toronto Film Festival in 2005. Hopeful 3. 3.
• Quarantine--2. 2.

October 15

• Frontrunners--2. 3-.

October 17

• Filth and Wisdom--Soft 3 for the Material Older Woman. 3.
• Good Dick--3. 3.
• Mary--4. 4.
• Max Payne--2 (video game). 2.
• Morning Light--Insufferably self-congratulatory trailer; barely 2. 2.
• The Secret Life of Bees--Paul Bettany a plus; 3. 3.
• Sex Drive--Barely 2. 3-.
• Riparo: Anis tra di noi (Shelter me)--Maria de Medeiros! 4. 3+.
• W.--4, verging on 5. 4 (like the term "biographical fantasy"; corrected Rumsfeld misspelling).
• What Just Happened?--Good trailer, good cast: strong 4. 3.
• Who Does She Think She Is?--Why so many questions all of a sudden? 3. 3+.

October 22

• Stranded: I Have Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains--No wonder Times omitted the subtitle; 3. 2.

October 24

• Ben X--3, even though I've come to suspect I may have a touch of Asperger’s myself. 2.
• Changeling--Great buzz on Clint's latest, I gather; 4. 3.
• Eden--3. 2.
• Peur(s) du noir (Fear[s] of the dark)--3. 1.
• High School Musical 3: Senior Year--Oh, please. 2.
• Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've loved you so long)--Willing-to-be-seduced 3. 3.
• Låt den rätte komma in (Let the right one in)--Swedish vampires? Oh, hell, yeah! 4. 3.
• News from Home/News from House--3. 3.
• Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom--3. 3.
• Passengers--3. 3-.
• Pride and Glory--3. 3+.
• Roadside Romeo--Bollywood animation; soft 3. 2.
• Saw V--Fuck, no. 1.
• Synecdoche, New York--Need you ask? Charlie Kaufman directs: the season's 5est 5. 5.
• The Universe of Keith Haring--Soft 3. 3.
• Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle (Zidean, a 21st-century portrait)--Merely a 4. 3-.

October 29

• The First Basket--Jewish hoopsters! No, it's not a short: 4. 3-.

October 31

• The Haunting of Molly Hartley--2. 2.
• Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback--Rock, not frock; 3. 2.
• Zack and Miri Make a Porno--Kevin Smith: 4. 3.

November 5

• Tussenstand (Stages)--Wow, seriously intense, but still just 3. 2.

November 7

• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas--Trailer looks syrupy; Vera Farmiga and David Thewlis represent the only hopes; 2. 3-.
• The Guitar--Soft 3. 3.
• JCVD--2, and that high only because Kehr calls it a "self-referential comedy." 3.
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa--No. 2.
• El baño del papa (The pope's toilet)--Finally the answer to the question: Does the pope shit in the woods? 3. 3.
• Pray the Devil Back to Hell--3. 3.
• Repo! The Genetic Opera--But I'm still using it! Too weird not to be a 4. 3.
• Role Models--Soft 3. 2.
• El cielo gira (The sky turns)--Been kicking around festivals since 2004; hopeful 3. 4.
• The World Unseen--Another hopeful 3. 3.

November 8

• Dear Pyongyang--Another one that has been on the festival circuit for a while, this one since 2005; 3. 3.

November 14

• Un conte de Noël (A Christmas tale)--No, I don't think it has anything to do w/ BB guns; soft 4. 4 (Amalric).
• Dostana--"Bollywood production filmed in Miami," Kehr says . . . 2. 2.
• The Dukes--4. 3.
• Lake City--3. 3.
• Nobel Son--Unimpressive trailer; 3. 3.
• Nothing Like the Holidays--Hopeful 3; are we sure this isn't just an English-dubbed Conte de Noël? 3.
• Quantum of Solace--What's your nomination for the worst Bond title ever? Per Kehr: the villain is played by "the gifted French actor Mathieu Amalric, getting a much deserved payday." Amen to that; 4. 4 (Amalric. Plus, great Bond title!).
• The Road--Kehr again: "Another big chunk of Cormac McCarthy served up for awards season"; 4. 3.
• Soul Men--3; adios, Chef. 3.
• We Are Wizards--3. 2.

November 19

• Harvard Beats Yale 29-29--It was the headline in the local paper, after the Hated Despised Crimson rallied from 16 points down in the last minute to tie. I wasn't here then, of course, but know about it because I edited the autobiography of the longtime Yale coach Carm Cozza. The rare 5 for a film whose makers I know nothing of (though there's apparantly an interview with a lineman named Jones). 3.

November 21

• Nerakhoon (The betrayal)--3. 4.
• Bolt--3. 2.
• The Soloist--Trepidatious 4. 3 (didn't we just see this?).
• Special--2. 3-.
• Twilight--2. 2.

November 26

• Australia--Trailer looks iffy, and I don't trust Baz; 3. 3-.
• Four Christmases--Another freakin' X-mas family-dramas flick? 3, strictly on Reese and Vince. 3.
• Milk--4, nearly 5. 4.
• Transporter 3--No. 1.

November 28

• Rome & Jewel--A Shakespearean 3. 3-.
• Slumdog Millionaire--3. 3.
  

December 3

• Staub (Dust)--As a Mets fan who actually got to see Le Grand Orange throw out the first pitch at a game at Shea during this, the stadium's farewell season, I naturally prefer the German title of this documentary; still, 3. 3-.

December 5

• Frost/Nixon--4. 4.
• Punisher: War Zone--No, though I like Ray Stevenson from his Rome days. 1.
• Tôkyô!--3, though Michel Gondry's participation elevates it near 4. 3.

December 10

• Wendy and Lucy--4. 4 (but Dargis loved Old Joy; I didn't).
  

December 12

• Entre les Murs (The class)--4, but why do they do this to titles? 3.
• The Day the Earth Stood Still--Keanu in the Michael Rennie role? Are you fucking kidding me? Nervous 3. 3.
• Defiance--Soft 3; trailer makes me wonder why you'd cast midlist English-speaking actors rather than eastern Europeans. 3.
• Doubt--Haven't seen the acclaimed play, but great cast, and to me John Patrick Shanley will always be the guy who wrote Moonstruck; 4. 3+.
• En la ciudad de Sylvia (In the city of Sylvia)--3. 3.
• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi--2. 3.
  

December 19

• Seven Pounds--3. 3.
• The Tale of Despereaux--Hopeful 3. 2.
• Yes Man--2; sounds really stupid, Zooey notwithstanding. 3.
  

December 24

• Fados--4. 4.
• Theater of War--Hopeful 3. 3.

December 25

• Bedtime Stories--Will this be my Lonely-Pseudojew-on-Christmas lunchtime movie, ahead of the Chinese carryout for dinner? Uh . . . maybe: wistful 3. 3.
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--This looks likelier, especially given how disappointed I was with the similarly themed novel, The Confessions of Max Tivoli. 3.
• Hurricane Season--As Kehr asks, "What’s the holiday season without an inspirational sports movie?" Doubtful 3. 2.
• Marley & Me--And an inspirational dog movie, too! Doubtful 3, though I'm darned glad Owen Wilson will be around for the premiere. 3+ (because, dogs).
• The Spirit--As my son-in-law put it, I enjoyed Sin City, but I never need to see another film like it; despite all the promised cleavage, a flaccid 3. 3.

December 26

• Revolutionary Road--Kate and Leo, together again, on dry Connecticut land, w/ Mr. Kate directing; rock-solid 4. 4.
• La Graine et le mulet (The secret of the grain)--What is wrong with these people? Am I nuts, or is the literal translation of the title, The Grain and the Mule, way more evocative than what they came up with? 3. 4.
• Valkyrie--4, based on Bryan Singer and great Brit-playing-German cast after Cruise. 3+.
• Waltz with Bashir--3. 3.

Sometime in December, but omitted from the Times blurbs

• Che--Four-hour-plus magnum opus from Soderbergh, starring Benicio; 5 x 5 x 5. Also 5 cubed.