Laugh-a-lot: My 10 best comedies of 2008

The inspiration for this post is actually two-fold, from one thing that made me laugh and one that just made me cringe.

The former comes courtesy of the surprisingly great MTV movies blog, which currently has an interview with David Fincher in which he discusses plans to take "Fight Club" to Broadway as a musical. I just have to assume he was playing the prick with them, but it was delivered as straight news, with him saying he had talked with Julie Taymor and others about what it would involve. Simply bizarre.

The second was something I saw on Variety, and I'll have to take their word for it because I'll never, ever - under penalty of torture, even - tune into anything on my TV featuring Frank Caliendo (I got way more than enough of that during the baseball playoffs anyways.) I mean, does anyone in the world think this guy is actually funny? To me he's just extremely annoying.

He did, however, apparently last night host a special about the funniest movies of 2008, or at least I think he did, since I didn't tune in. Well, if this seriously unfunny guy can say he knows funny, I can too, so here goes: My votes (simply in alphabetical order) for the 10 funniest movies of 2008 (I considered including M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" here, which indeed made me just laugh out loud and often, but it is the holidays after all, so I'm trying to be civil.)

Be Kind Rewind
Michel Gondry's movie just didn't charm me too much at all the first time I saw it, but I've seen it twice since on DVD and it's now quickly moving up the charts. Silly? Sure. Extremely. But the movie re-creations are almost uniformly funny, the last half hour is a sweet tribute to making movies and Mos Def's explanation of why he doesn't want to do "Driving Miss Daisy" is just priceless.

"Burn After Reading"
This is another one that I think will grow in my estimation once I watch it for a second time, but on the first go-round it still has plenty to laugh about in what is certainly one of the Coen brothers' slighter films. I'm not convinced there's any kind of real commentary about our current state of constant surveillance, but Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt and my new favorite Richard Jenkins still bring the funny.

"Hamlet 2"
Steve Coogan throws himself so completely into this portrait of a serious loser that you'll either cringe or laugh along with his misery in spite of yourself. I was often in the latter category when this flick made it to my little corner of the world for exactly one week. It's worth it for that "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" finale alone, but Coogan, Elizabeth Shue (yes, that Elizabeth Shue) and Catherine Keener also were all just a delight to watch.

"In Bruges"
I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but writer/director Martin McDonagh's flick just keeps getting crazier and crazier until a finale that will just leave you scratching your head. Along the way, however, he gives hitmen Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell easily the funniest dialogue of 2008, and they just run with it.

"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist"
I certainly don't mind crude or even occasionally cruel comedy, but to me it still works best when a director has affection for the subjects he's poking fun at, as Peter Sollett clearly did here with New Jersey's bridge-and-tunnel kids. When I hit the IMDB to make sure I was spelling his name right I found out he was unfortunately now writing a remake of "Footloose," but don't let that stop you from watching Michael Cera and Kat Dennings in this sweet little flick that soon will find a home on my list of the 10 best flicks of 2008.

"Pineapple Express"
Of all the movies on this list, I suspect this stoner comedy will have the shortest shelf life (not unlike even the best buzz, I suppose.) Even so, it's well worth watching for James Franco's performance as the happy-go-lucky dealer, just a comic hoot, and the most painful looking amateur fight scene I've seen in years.

"Soul Men"
I don't know exactly why I was so convinced that the late great Bernie Mac and Sam the Man Jackson palling around as aging "Soul Men" wouldn't be funny, but I'm glad I finally got over that barrier before it left the theaters (though it's still, somehow, playing at our Regal branch yet again in the coming week. Amazing.) When it's crude, director Malcolm Lee's flick is too often also just stupid, but when it's just the Mac man and Mr. Jackson riffing it has a definite appeal, and it's a fitting if way too early way for Bernie to leave us.

"Tropic Thunder"
This was the flick in which Jack Black just reached the saturation point for me, and he'll have to do something really funny (and a lot less annoying) to win me back. That said, Ben Stiller still managed to craft an almost razor sharp satire on Hollywood action flicks, and if you haven't seen Robert Downey Jr. in black face yet, I have to wonder if you even like to laugh at all.

"Vicky Christina Barcelona"
Though there are a lot of heavyweight contenders coming in the next week as I hit NYC with my parents, I'm still fairly certain Woody Allen's lighter-than-air flick will also find a home on my 2008 top 10 list. Even with the thoroughly unnecessary narrator, Rebecca Hall is enchanting, Scarlett Johansson is a lot less annoying than usual and Penelope Cruz is just manically entertaining in every bit of the brief time she gets on screen.

"Zack and Miri Make a Porno"
It's been far too long since Kevin Smith showed up on a list like this, but he certainly deserves it for this mostly satisfying flick. Like, I suppose, an actual porno, it loses it charm before the finish, but along the way Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen make a great comedy duo, the high school reunion is very funny and the money shot (sorry, I had to) comes with an anal sex joke that will make perhaps even the most prudish comedy fans laugh out loud as they are simultaneously blushing.

So, there you have it. Please feel free to add any 2008 comedies I may have missed, and have a perfectly passable Tuesday. In an effort to make that more attainable, here's a shot of the simply stunning Carla Gugino in the upcoming "Women in Trouble," which certainly doesn't need to be spoiled by any more words from me. Peace out.

Midyear report card: The 10 (well, actually 11) best movies of 2008 (at least so far)

I thought about not doing this because I wasn't sure I'd be able to get to 10 movies I at least mildly liked this year - especially given just how rotten the year started out - but I ended up getting to 14 that were in the running. (UPDATE: I somehow left off Iron Man, which an alert reader brought to my attention, hence the reason this list now goes to 11!)

The biggest surprise was that "Wall-E" didn't end up at or even that near the top, but rest assured that that doesn't mean I love it almost unconditionally. And, yes, the No. 1 spot is held by the movie I've seen most recently, but if you've seen it I'm almost certain you'll agree with me.

So, with only the further proviso that I certainly haven't come close to seeing all the movies that have been released so far this year, here goes:

10. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
Just a fun ride from the start, I consider this really to be pulp movie-making, if there is such a thing. Guillermo del Toro clearly just threw at us as many of the magical things he could think of and cooked up a wild story for them, making for a flick almost as good as the original.

9. "Cloverfield"
I almost avoided this one completely because I was so afraid of a "Blair Witch"-style hoax, but I was thankfully wrong (which does seem to happen from time to time.) With a surprisingly steady camera, it really is Godzilla-meets-Youtube, and even though that sounds awful on paper it somehow just works.

8. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian"
People will surely scoff at me for including this one over, say, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," but I just have a soft spot for the Narnia tales and this one just improves on "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" in almost every facet. The dialogue is smart and funny, and the final battle - while ultimately enough to numb your senses - is just a blast.

7. "Be Kind Rewind"
I wanted to put Michel Gondry's goofy little flick higher on the list, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. If you missed it, you can see it on DVD now, and I think you'll enjoy this silly movie that's all about the love of movies.

6. "The Bank Job"
For once, a heist movie that's at least as much about the characters and the caper as it is the gadgets. This "true" story just keeps getting wilder as it unfolds, and if you like heist flicks, I recommend this one very highly.

5a. "Iron Man"
I don't know how in the world I managed to leave this one off when I first compiled this list, other than that I do it when I first wake up in the morning. Although I loved what Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. did with Iron Man, I'm even more amped to see what happens when the great Terrence Howard dons his own metal suit and Samuel L. Jackson gets in on the action next time.

5. "Wall-E"
Like I said at the outset, I'm surprised this one ended up so low on this list, but looking back it's just been a stronger year thus far for flicks than I thought. Pure magic in its first half hour dedicated to silent robot love, it loses its way just a bit in the middle but still manages to be another Pixar winner (I'd rank it third behind "Ratatouille" and "The Incredibles," respectively, but then I guess I'm just a Brad Bird partisan.)

4. "Son of Rambow"
I really thought this might catch on as the little indie hit of the summer, but it never quite got there. As the titles implies, this is just a smart and funny flick about two English boys who try to create their own version of "Rambo," and it's very well worth a rental when it finally hits DVD (I was surprised to find it wasn't there already.)

3. "The Fall"
Tarsem's second feature film is as much about the power of storytelling as it is about the touchingly odd relationship that develops between an injured stuntman (the great Lee Pace of "Pushing Daisies" fame) and a young girl he meets in the hospital (Catinca Untaru.) It's visually stunning, and even if the story he concocts for her induces some unintended guffaws, this is one I just love.

2. "Under the Same Moon"
Perhaps it's because we had a private screening of this one after it somehow lingered at one of my local multiplexes for six weeks or so, but Patricia Riggen's little movie about immigration and family ties has just lingered with me for a long time. Yes, it's sometimes as sappy as it sounds on paper, but spring for a rental and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

1. "The Dark Knight"
Was there really ever any doubt that this one would clinch the top spot? I've seen it twice in the theater and will surely spring for it one more time before it leaves some time in September. If all the hype has you skeptical, just give in and believe it, because this one is just pretty darn amazing.

So there you have it. And, for the record, here are the four flicks that almost made the 10-movie cut: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

With plenty of fun stuff coming later this summer and fall - including new flicks from David Fincher, the Coen brothers and Spike Lee, among others - I'm sure this list will look a lot different when I revise it in January. Please feel free to chime in with anything you might think I've just gotten wrong, and of course let me know if there are any 2008 flicks I just overlooked. Peace out.

DVD pick: "Be Kind Rewind" redux

Consider this an open letter of apology to Michel Gondry.

I was more than a little bit psyched to see Mr. Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind" when it hit the big screen a little while back. Jack Black, Mos Def and Michel Gondry? I was so jazzed to see it that I even drove an hour or so up the road to do so.

And I think it was these expectations that led me to be at least slightly disappointed as I was walking out of the theater.

Now, don't get me wrong. After watching the movie again last night on DVD, I still think Gondry's flick is just goofy as goofy can get, but it's also more than a little bit magical once it manages to get going.

If you haven't seen it, take this warning from me going in: You'll almost certainly wince through the first half-hour or so. Jack Black's character vacillates between mildly retarded and thoroughly annoying. I know people have found him to be that way before, but it was a first for me (yes, I even liked "Nacho Libre.")

And the premise of "Be Kind Rewind," if you think about it for even a second, is simply ludicrous. Gondry's love of mom-and-pop stores and of Passaic, N.J., comes through clearly, but why in the world would you want to save a movie rental store where you know the owner (Danny Glover) can never get any new movies because he refuses to make the move to DVD?

So, my advice: Go ahead and rent "Be Kind Rewind" and just don't think about it too much. Once Black, Mos Def and the very charming Melonie Diaz get down to "sweding" all the tapes that Black's Jerry has managed to erase (because he's magnetized, of course), it's just tons of fun. The "Ghostbusters" and "Rush Hour 2" takes got the most attention, but my favorite moment in Gondry's flick was when Mos sheepishly explained why he felt uncomfortable sweding "Driving Miss Daisy." Just perfect.

And the last 20 or minutes or so, when the community bands together to make a movie about Fats Waller (don't ask, just watch for yourself and find out why), it morphs into probably my favorite subgenre of all: Movies about the love of movies.

So, for all its faults, I can still heartily recommend renting "Be Kind Rewind" if you're in the mood for something truly odd but often very entertaining.

Also out this week is possibly my favorite movie of all so far this year (second only to maybe "Son of Rambow," but they're pretty much tied), Patricia Riggen's "Under the Same Moon." Though I hate the phrase "putting a human face" more than just about any other in the English lexicon, I guess you could say that's what Riggen's movie manages to do with immigration.

On paper it would seem to be just too sappy for words, but the story of a 9-year-old Mexican boy (Adrian Alonso) trying to reunite with the mother (telenovela star Kate del Castillo) who had to leave him behind when she went to look for work in L.A. is just thoroughly engaging. It turns into an odd buddy-road movie of sorts when young Carlitos teams up with a laborer (Euginio Derbez) to make the journey, the movie's best stretch.

So, there you have it. Two DVD recommendations for no entry fee. Have a perfectly pleasant weekend and, if you actually go see either "The Love Guru" or "Get Smart" (which I can't bring myself to do) and want to share your opinion of them, please feel free to do so.

Is there hope that "Friday Night Lights" will keep shining?

If the perhaps final "Friday Night Lights" that aired a few weeks was indeed a finale, it would certainly be an odd way to go out.

In ways it did feel like an ending of sorts, with Smash (Gaius Charles) finding out he just might still have the chance to play (very small) college football and show honcho Peter Berg even making a very funny appearance as an old flame of Tami Taylor's (the simply fantastic Connie Britten) who gets into a drinking and then wrestling match with coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler.)

But it also, of course, had some aspects of a perfect cliffhanger, with Street (Scott Porter) waiting to find out if he will be a daddy and Lyla (Minka Kelly) and Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) perhaps about to start knocking boots again. (If this all sounds rather like a tawdry soap opera, it often is, but like "The Last Picture Show," it's also a fantastic portrait of life in small-town America.)

And I tell you all that to tell you this: NBC, which has until now shown little inclination to bring the show back for a third season despite its rather attractive demographical (is that even a word?) numbers, may be having a change of heart.

In order to salvage my favorite network TV drama (by far), NBC is currently in negotiations with the CW, Comcast Entertainment Networks, TNT and DirecTV to see if it can find a "shared window" plan which would have the show air on multiple networks (which I can only assume would divvy up the production costs, too.)

NBC is apparently asking a high price (especially for a show that it seems to have so little love for), but here's hoping someone takes the bait and saves this TV gem.

Be Kind, play wide?

I was so psyched until Wednesday morning when my local multiplexes updated their weekly movie offerings that, with the arrival of Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind," we would finally have the first truly great (or at least really fun) movie of 2008.

Well, as some of you who live in a small city (well, town, really) like me might be finding out, apparently putting Jack Black and Mos Def in a movie all about the love of movies isn't enough to insure any kind of distribution at all. I will apparently have to drive almost 60 miles this Saturday morning (which I will definitely do) just to see it at the rather palatial AMC Southlake Pavilion south of Atlanta.

There's no real point to this portion except to let me vent a little, which is also a welcome release. I do have to ask, though: What in the world does a movie have to do to play in anything except "select cities"?


Fincher set to dive into a "Black Hole"

Complain about its length or its lack of focus if you have to, but for my money there were very few movies (only four, to be exact) better than David Fincher's "Zodiac" in 2007. And I'd put even money on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," his take on the F. Scott Fitzgerald tale about a man who ages in reverse through the 20th century, being among my favorites of this year too.

And now comes word that he's attached to a new project that seems right up his alley. Though I can't claim to have read the "Black Hole" series of graphic novels by Charles Burns, they seem, from what little I've been able to piece together, to exist in that splendidly sordid realm where Fincher feels most at home.

In the graphic novels, at least according to Publisher's Weekly, the setting is Seattle during the early '70s. A sexually transmitted disease, the "bug," is spreading among teenagers. Those who get it develop bizarre mutations—sometimes subtle, like a tiny mouth at the base of one boy's neck, and sometimes obvious and grotesque. The most visibly deformed victims end up living as homeless campers in the woods, venturing into the streets only when they have to, shunned by normal society. All I can say to all that is bring it on!

In case you need any more inducement to get geeked up about this, here's what Daniel Clowes of "Ghostworld" fame has to say about Mr. Burns at Amazon.com:

"Charles Burns is one of the greats of modern comics. His comics are beautiful on so many levels. Somehow he has managed to capture the essential electricity of comic-book pop-art iconography, dragging it from the clutches of Fine Art back to the service of his perfect, precise-but-elusive narratives in a way that is both universal in its instant appeal and deeply personal."

Roger Avary and Neil Gaiman are writing the script for this project which would should definitely keep Fincher on a roll.

Now that's a lead

In a good article about movie studios bringing their video game development in-house that you can read here, the Wall Street Journal leads off by revealing what may (or may not) be the plot to Pixar's 2010 release, "Toy Story 3":

In Pixar's coming movie "Toy Story 3," Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college.

Now, if that is indeed the case, it does sound like a fun way to bring a new batch of kids into the franchise. That plot summary, however, does differ wildly from what's up at the IMDB:

The adventure continues as Toy Story 3 makes its way into theaters in 2010. In this new adventure, Buzz Lightyear has encountered a malfunction and is being sent to Taiwan to be fixed. It appears that these malfunctions are occurring with toys all around the world! Now, Woody and a group of his friends are on a mission to save Buzz's destruction.

No matter which one is right, we'll have to wait a couple of years to find out, but isn't it so much more fun to wonder about such silly things than say, whatever work you have to do? Peace out.

Are there any good movies coming at all?

Forgive me if I'm more than a little punchy this morning. I don't usually stay up so late on a school night, but last night's political show was just fascinating, even if it didn't go as well for Barack Obama as I had been hoping.

But enough of that. This isn't about politics, of course. It's supposed to be about movies, but for what seems like the fifth or sixth week in a row there's nothing but crap opening in wide-release world this week.

I had mild hopes for Malcolm Lee's "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins," but most of the clips I've seen so far seem to riff on the fact that Mo'nique is a woman who likes to eat. Somehow I think I'll just wait for Tyler Perry's surely superior family-reunion movie "Meet the Browns," coming in early March.

But is there anything even remotely worth watching coming to your multiplexes in the next month? The short answer is not much, but yes, there are a few potential gems in the pipeline. Here's a look at the none-too-distant movie future:

Feb. 8:
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins: See above.

Fool's Gold: It can't be a good sign when, in the one review I bothered to read, your movie is none-too-favorably compared to some Brooke Shields TV movie called "Wet Gold" (which I can't say I've had the pleasure of seeing.) You can see Kate Hudson in a bikini in the trailer, so I really can't see any possible reason to watch the rest of the movie.

Feb. 15:
Definitely, Maybe: Is is just me, or doesn't it seem kind of sick to make a movie in which a poor little girl has to learn about all her daddy's sexual exploits just to find out who her mommy is? Sheesh.

Jumper: This one could be good, especially with Doug Liman in charge, but I have the sneaking feeling I'm just too old for it, and that suit that Sam the Man wears in the trailer just makes him look some kind of futuristic garbage man.

Step Up 2 the Street: I have no idea if all white people can't dance, but I surely can't. 'Nuff said.

Spiderwick Chronicles: All I needed to know to give this Walden fantasy a chance is that the script was written by John Sayles (hey, a man's gotta eat.)

Feb. 22:
Be Kind Rewind: Finally, a week to look forward to. I sure hope this opens wide, because even though I've seen up to a third of the movie already in clips, it should be a lot of silly fun.

Charlie Bartlett: I have my doubts about this one, but I'll watch just about anything with Robert Downey Jr. in it, and I'm holding out hope this one will be at least as sly as it is sweet.

Cover: Don't know much about this one except that it's some kind of thriller directed by Bill Duke and starring Louis Gossett Jr. and Vivica Fox. That's probably enough to hook me.

My Mom's New Boyfriend: This flick starring Meg Ryan and Antonio Banderas used to be known as "Homeland Security." That's about all I know on this one.

Vantage Point: I have fairly serious qualms about releasing a movie about a presidential assassination during the height of this latest campaign, but for sheer entertainment value this looks like a winner. William Hurt is the president, and Sigourney Weaver and Forest Whitaker factor in here somehow too.

Feb. 29:
Addicted: All I know is that Sarah Michelle Gellar is in this, so my money is on either some kind of generic mind-bender or a Japanese horror remake. Either way, I'll probably pass.

The Other Boleyn Girl: Now this could be fun. Natalie Portman is Anne Boleyn, Scarlett Johansson is her sister Mary and Eric Bana is that crazy King Henry VIII. I personally would have swapped the leading ladies' roles, but that's a minor quibble.

Penelope: I hope this has the cast strength to play wide, because it just looks to be utterly charming. Christina Ricci stars as the titular lady who is trying to escape some kind of family curse and, of course, find love. It's surely better than I'm making it sound here.

Semi-Pro: I could be wrong (and I really do hope I am), but this looks like the first Will Ferrell movie that won't be even remotely funny. A white man in a 'fro just isn't enough to make me laugh.

And now I have to, unfortunately, go to work. I'll leave you with - be warned - a R-rated (but very funny) trailer for "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," coming from Camp Apatow this summer and directed by former Freak Jason Segel (and starring Veronica Mars!) Peace out.

A world without movies? Perish the thought

You know, I can really live without a Golden Globes ceremony, but did anyone out there think this writers' strike (which I wholeheartedly support, by the way) would still be going on?

I just assumed it would be settled by Christmas, but I've been wrong at least once before (I also believed the Media that last night was going to be a coronation for Barack Obama, which would have been just fine with me.) I've fared fairly well through the strike as far as finding entertainment options. After all, "The Wire" is back, there are five more consecutive new episodes of "Friday Night Lights" starting Friday, and the readers of this blog have kindly helped me restock my depleted Netflix queue.

In reading about the possible cancellation of the Feb. 24 Oscars ceremony (which I still don't think will happen), it finally hit me that the directors are set to follow the writers as soon as early June. Now, I would have to assume that would mean the end to virtually all movie production, or would at least render any scab movies that still get made unwatchable. Sheesh.

But enough of that. I have to hope that would never happen, and even if the writers' strike means there's not a ton of movie news around, there are some juicy tidbits about directors who I really like, so here goes:

Noyce and Queen Scarlett?

If I'm pressed to name a favorite director, you might get five to 10 different answers if you ask 10 times, but at least one of those will be Aussie Phillip Noyce. I was hoping he was hard at work on his adaptation of Phillip Roth's "American Pastoral," a simply fantastic novel, but it seems that's on the back burner for now to make room for Queen Scarlett.

After watching the often painful "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," which was only even watchable when Cate and Clive were pitching woo, I think just about the last thing the world needs now is another royal biopic, but at least Noyce has picked an interesting queen for his turn.

With filming set to start in April, Scarlett Johansson (wtf?) is set to play "Mary Queen of Scots" in the tale of the woman who became Scotland's queen at 9 months in 1542 and, later, a rival to the English throne. Mary would go on to plot the murder of Elizabeth I, who would have her beheaded for the bother. Juicy stuff, at least, from a director who almost always makes winners.

Gondry has kings of a different kind

These next three entries are translated from the French, from the great froggy film site Cinempire (and, since I hadn't checked the trades for a long while before this morning, possibly a bit old), so please bear with me.

The most likely savour for what looks like a bleak January (I can't help but keep being suspicious of "Cloverfield") will be Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind," which will hopefully open very wide Jan. 28.

After that potentially sublime does of silliness with Jack Black and Mos Def, and if I indeed have this translation right, he will soon begin work on something called "The Return of the Ice Kings."

Here, in case my French is bad as I fear, is the one-sentence plot summary offered by Cinempire: Intitulé The return of the Ice kings, l'histoire est celle de plusieurs jeunes gens qui inventent une eau spéciale, générant de la musique en la buvant. Now, if anyone can do better than me, please do, but best as I can tell that means the story is about a group of dudes who discover a new kind of water that somehow makes music. Crazy? Yes, but as more details about this madness emerge, I'm sure it will be pure Gondry, which is always OK by me.

A Russ Meyer biopic?

In the right hands, of course, this could be tons of fun. However ...

Cinempire, which hails Russ Meyer as "the Sacré roi du nudie movie avec les kitchissimes" (the king of kitchy nudie pics, essentially), has the unfortunate news that this potentially fun project has been put in the hands of Rob Cohen.

Now, I have made it this far in life without seeing "XXX," and "The Fast and the Furious" certainly had a few primal charms, but couldn't we do any better than this? Anyways, the movie is set, and I'm not making this up, to be called "King of the Nudies: The Russ Meyer Story" (and I promise, the word nudie has now officially henceforth been banned from this space.) It will be based on the Meyer biography "Big Bosoms and Square Jaws" by Jimmy McDonough.

Here's hoping this somehow turns out to be a lot better than I'm fearing.

What Spielberg wants ...

Whew .. all this French stuff is kinda giving me a headache, since I haven't spoken or read it regularly for almost 20 years now.

For a movie that isn't even listed yet in the free portion of the IMDB, "The Trial of the Chicago Seven" is certainly attracting an impressive cast. Though nothing's apparently on paper yet, Steven Spielberg will hopefully be directing this after "Indy 4," with a script from Aaron Sorkin, who made a fantastic post-"Studio 60" rebound this year with "Charlie Wilson's War."

Sacha Baron Cohen has already been announced as Abbie Hoffman, if this movie ever happens, and now in even better news, Philip Seymour Hoffman will apparently play William Kunstler, the "radical lawyer" who defended the notorious titular seven. Also apparently in negotiations to join the cast are Will Smith, Kevin Spacey, Adam Arkin and Taye Diggs. After all, what Spielberg wants ...

And that's enough French translation for today. Enjoy, as much as is humanly possible, your Wednesday. To help in that endeavor, here's a picture of Cate Blanchett in her "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" garb from the latest issue of Vanity Fair. Peace out.

An animated Best Picture: Why in the world not?

Allow me to warn you now: Though I won't mention it every day, this marks the beginning of my own personal campaign, just in case anyone's listening, to get a Best Picture Oscar nomination for Brad Bird's "Ratatouille." Not Best Animated Picture (which, with "Persepolis" out there it might not even win anyway), but the best darn movie of the year.

Before we delve into the history, let's take a look at this year. Personally, I have four of the five slots filled for what I consider to be the best movies of this year: "No Country for Old Men," "Juno" (which I just gushed about yesterday, if you care to scroll back), "American Gangster" and, yes, "Ratatouille."

It's all open for the fifth slot, with two strong contenders up this week (and not "The Golden Compass," though I am hoping that one doesn't somehow just suck): Mira Nair's "The Namesake," which I'm expecting to get from the Netflix today, and Jon Carney's "Once," which is being screened this Sunday at the Douglass Theater by the Macon Film Guild (so be there!). Still to come with high hopes are "I'm Not There," "There Will Be Blood" and perhaps a few other surprises.

But, of course, this is all about the charms of "Ratatouille." For perspective, here's what I had to say shortly after watching it for the first time:

"Ratatouille," the story of Remy, the rat who just wants to cook, is much more "Babe: Pig in the City" than "Babe" in tenor and tone. And that's just fine by me. ...

But then, and in wonderfully abrupt fashion, director Brad Bird injects "Ratatouille" with another element we've been missing in animated flicks for a long time: Magic. I had seen the best nine minutes of "Ratatouille" beforehand on YouTube, but that still didn't take away from the thrill of discovery when Remy first scampers up the rooftop to find Paris in front of him. It's a vista that would make Hayao Miyazaki smile broadly. ...

And next, from when he's looking down on the kitchen at Gustave's with his guardian angel, the late Gustave (Brad Garrett), to when he falls through the window and lands in the chaotic kitchen's sink, it's as exhilarating as any animated sequence since "Fantasia." And no, I'm not exaggerating here; it's just that good. ...

So, in the end, how good is "Ratatouille"? Well, Brad Bird directed my single favorite animated flick in "The Iron Giant," and I have a strong feeling that, once I see "Ratatouille" a few more times, it will hold almost as lofty a place in my heart. If you haven't seen it, do so right away. ...

Very high praise, I concede, but having watched it twice now I stand by every word, and would only add that Peter O'Toole as the dour food critic Anton Ego is thoroughly deserving of a Best Supporting Actor nomination (though the award should just be given now to Hal Holbrook for his incredible work in "Into the Wild.")

And let me just state for the record that anyone who doesn't think "cartoons" are worthy of such high praise just watches movies in an entirely different way from me, and I dare say doesn't get nearly as much enjoyment from them as I do. "Ratatouille" is both entertainment and art of the highest order. 'Nuff said.

There have been two animated Best Picture contenders in the past, and a third that certainly should have been in the game.

In 1992, the nominees were: "Beauty and the Beast," "Bugsy," "JFK," "The Prince of Tides" and "Silence of the Lambs." Though "Silence" was a darn fine flick, I was rooting for "Beauty and the Beast" to win in this era before animated movies even had their own category.

In 1996, we had "Apollo 13," "Babe," "Braveheart," "Il Postino" and "Sense and Sensibility." Though winner "Braveheart" certainly had its visceral charms, "Il Postino," "Sense and Sensibility" and, yes, "Babe" were all better movies. I understand that "Babe" is just too sappy for many people, but it remains one of my favorite flicks, and would have been a worthy Oscar winner.

And, in 2005, a strong year for movies, Brad Bird's "The Incredibles" certainly should have been a contender. The nominees were "The Aviator," "Finding Neverland" (wtf!), "Million Dollar Baby," "Ray" and "Sideways." I would have taken "The Aviator" off of that list (certainly at least over winner "Million Dollar Baby"), but would still submit that Bird's flick was better than any of them.

So, will "Ratatouille" get the same shaft? The short answer is probably, but I'm still hoping it backs in to at least get nominated for Best Picture. It's got my vote, which, as far as I know, doesn't yet count for too much at all.

An early contender for favorite movie of 2008?

When I first saw the preview for Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind" on the big screen (in front of "Margot at the Wedding," I believe), it just made me smile and laugh from start to finish. I'm a little skeptical still that they can sustain the gag - Jack Black and Mos Def (huzzah!) remaking all the movies at a video store after the tapes get "magnetized" and erased - for an entire movie. But it's clear that Gondry just loves making movies, and it looks like this flick is infused with that spirit. Here's the poster (click to view much larger) for what should be a very fun flick, set to come out, I think, in January. Enjoy, and have an entirely bearable Tuesday.

Gondry getting animated? Bring it on!

I'm embarrassed to say that I have yet to see Michel Gondry's "The Science of Sleep." It's just one of those movies that has sat in my Netflix queue for a long time now, just below the mailing line.

That admission aside, Gondry has crafted easily two of my favorite movies with "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" (even if you don't like rap music, just trust me and watch this one as soon as you can if you haven't already.) So, it's easy to get jazzed about any bit of Gondry news, especially when it's this good.

According to the MTV Movies Blog, which has become a surprising daily stop in my reading list, he's teaming up with his son, Paul Gondry, to make an animated flick about their life together. Since Gondry's flicks often take on the dream-like feel of the best animated movies, this can only be a good thing.

I tried to Google Paul Gondry and see what his work might look like, and this still from a comic he did for Filter magazine was all I could find. From what I can tell, he's a teenager who is already following solidly in his father's footsteps, having already directed a music video for the Willowz' "Take a Look Around."

Here's how Michel describe their new project to MTV: “We’re translating our relationship into a futuristic story with a dictator and a rebel. He’s the dictator in the story [and] it will be based on [his] art. - It’s going to be quite amazing.”

Sounds great to me, and of course come January we'll finally get to see Michel's next flick, the guaranteed-to-be-fun "Be Kind Rewind." Sometimes, life really is good.

"Deadwood" not completely dead?

I hesitate to tease people about the possible revival of this great show in the form of movies, but this piece on David Milch's new HBO project did offer one tantalizing tidbit.

Now, I'm only just about to embark on season 3, with the first episode on the viewing menu today, so if this was something that "Deadwood" diehards knew already please forgive me. In James Hibberd's column at TVWeek.com, you'll find this tidbit: The pair of two-hour movies take place after the town of Deadwood is destroyed by fire and floods, thus the sets are unnecessary.

That should read would take place, because the piece goes on to make clear that, even if striking the sets doesn't necessarily mean the end of "Deadwood," HBO has no plans at this time to revive it. And Milch, of course, would have his hands tied with his new HBO project, which sounds pretty friggin' cool itself.

The new series, assuming it gets picked up by HBO, will be set in the New York Police Department in the 1970s and involve the Knapp Commission investigations. The Knapp-era gave rise to the story of patrolman Frank Serpico, whose revelations about corruption within the department were made into the book and flick. If memory serves me correctly, it will be semiautobiographical, and the main character will be a Vietnam vet now serving as a NYPD cop.

As much as I'd love to see the two "Deadwood" flicks, this new work sounds just perfect for Milch, who back in the day was a co-creator of "NYPD Blue" and a major writer for "Hill Street Blues." Here's hoping he works quickly!

Andy Griffith, ladies man?

Even though we moved out of the great republic of Virginia when I was very young, I still consider myself a Southerner of sorts, especially since I've lived down here in Macon for seven years or so now. And with this Southernness, I suppose, comes a required appreciation for the great Andy Griffith.

Seeing him again in earlier this year in "Waitress" just made me smile, and now he's getting involved in a little indie flick that could be hilarious. In "Play the Game," Paul Campbell of "Battlestar Galactica" will school his grandfather, Mr. Griffith, in the fine art of picking up women.

I really have nothing else to say about this, but I thought it might make at least one person laugh.

"Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains" trailer

Another Southerner who should get nothing but love is former President Jimmy Carter. If you can really watch him riding his bicycle in this trailer for Jonathan Demme's new doco "Jimmy Carter Man From Plains" and still have venomous thoughts about the man, there's nothing I can probably say to change your mind.

Enjoy this trailer I found on YouTube, and if this movie somehow makes it to your little corner of the world, go see this doco about a man who may have been a fairly awful president but is still a great American. Enough said.

More "Thank You for Smoking"? I'd quit that habit

I guess the big news today is that Ben Stiller's new "comedy" couldn't even make enough to topple The Rock at the top of the box office. But since I joined the masses in just skipping "The Heartbreak Kid," I'd instead like to talk about something else that caught my eye (and ire.)

On the surface, at least, this sounds like a fairly good idea. You can count "Thank You for Smoking" as easily one of my favorite movies of 2006, and probably the funniest flick of the year.

So, why not a TV series designed as a follow-up to the flick, as USA Network is currently planning. Well, it's just a really bad idea.

First of all, look at where Nick Naylor ends up at the end of "Smoking" (and if you somehow haven't seen the movie, there's not much I can do for you, so you'll have to just forgive me for giving it away.) The whole flick is centered on Aaron Eckhart's (very Oscarworthy but completely snubbed) portrayal of Nick Naylor as one seriously smug bastard who does sublimely evil things.

By the end of the movie, when he's given up his work for the great Satan (a k a Big Tobacco), you can accept it because the movie's over and you won't have to bear the sight of Nick Naylor actually working for the side of good. Who in the world wants to see that?

Well, the folks at USA think you do. With someone named James Dodson (not to be confused, apparently, with Focus on the Family's James Dobson) writing the script, the TV version will turn Naylor into some kind of free-agent do-gooder, using his rhetorical skills to help people in need. If you just threw up a little bit, I'm sorry, because I did too.

So, along with dropping any of the malicious spirit that drove both Jason Reitman's flick and the Christopher Buckley novel that it sprang from (both of those guys, wisely, have nothing to do with this new project), they'll turn the lead character into yet another generic TV composite character. Meh.

Luckily, Both Mr Reitman, with the upcoming "Juno," which I think I've now plugged here 150 times (and now I've apparently "adopted" both "Juno" star Ellen Page and Georgia actor Ray McKinnon, with the aid of Splotchy, so get used to it), and Mr. Buckley have more important things to keep them busy on the big screen. Although it's not listed anywhere at the IMDB, I'm fairly certain the once-great Whit Stillman (I still consider "Metropolitan" to be one of my favorite flicks) is at work now on an adaptation of another of Mr. Buckley's satirical Washington novels, "Little Green Men."

And you have my gold-standard guarantee that both of those will turn out to be miles better than anything that comes out of this silly TV project.

Weinsteins just say no to "Red State"

I read Kevin Smith's "Boring Ass Life" blog from time to time, mostly because when he's not completely full of himself Mr. Smith can still be a pretty darn funny guy. So I wasn't too surprised to hear the Weinsteins had passed on his rather crazy idea for a "horror" movie, "Red State."

The first warning sign came about two weeks or so ago when Mr. Smith reported that the Weinstein bros. had called his "Red State" script "important" and compared it in import to past Miramax output like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Piano" (that last bit may have actually come from Mr. Smith's mind, but he said it, not me.)

This sounds exactly like the kind of "vote of confidence" a baseball manager gets just before being fired (as Joe Torre hopefully will be tomorrow.) And indeed, another visit to his site this morning showed this to be true.

Given the subject matter, it's not terribly shocking that the Weinsteins wouldn't want anything to do with it. The lead bad guy is based on the Rev. Fred Phelps, a Kansas "preacher" who, among one of his nicer qualities, I bet, likes to picket the funerals of homosexuals (it pains me to even type his name, but remember, I'm just the messenger here.)

Though I'm sure it's a little better than I'm making it sound here, I'm also certain the Weinsteins bought the superior Kevin Smith project in "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (which now has, in the two latest installments, both Zach Braff and Seth Rogen listed as "rumored" to play the lead role of Zack.)

"Be Kind" and laugh

It's been a fairly bile-filled post so far for a Monday morning, so let's end with a couple of very funny things.

The Michel Gondry flick "Be Kind Rewind," starring Mos Def, Jack Black and Melonie Diaz, is set to come out at the end of January. The flick, of course, is about video store employees who set out to re-create all of the movies after the tapes get magnetized (by the power plant that, of course, is located right next door.) It's a premise ripe with possibility, as these two posters, riffing as far as I can tell on "Boys in the Hood" and "Rush Hour," clearly show. Enjoy, and have an entirely bearable Monday.