...In which our heroine presents her guide winter watching.

2010 is the worst year I can ever remember for movie-going. Right now, my top five is something like Kick-Ass, Winter's Bone, Toy Story 3, Inception, and ... Yeah, it's that terrible of a year. I'm being crumedgeondly about things like The Social Network, but if a Facebook movie is the best Hollywood can do, then I'm all good sticking to Netflix.

But that doesn't mean that the awards season doesn't bring things to look forward to. With that, I present Katydid's Guide to Winter Films.

November 26th - The King's Speech
I adore Colin Firth, and A Single Man was one of my favorite films from last year. I definitely have to be in the mood for these haughty period British movies, but the winter is the time that generally puts me in that mindset. I also love Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush. Should be a winner. 



December 3rd - Black Swan 
All in all, despite some missteps, I really love the diversity of story in Darren Aronofsky's work. The film festival reviews on this have been a little mixed, and I think this trailer gives too much away, but  Natalie Portman as a ballerina trying to succeed Winona Ryder? So there.


I Love You, Philip Morris
It's really a shame Jim Carrey doesn't get a chance to do more drama, because he's so damn good at it. I've honestly been reading about this movie for about, oh, three years, because it's had a really difficult time finding distribution. The story its based on, which is true, is pretty fascinating.


December 10th - The Fighter
Speaking of actors who need more dramatic work, let's talk about Marky Mark. There's a moment in this scene, from Boogie Nights, in a long take when it's just his face on the couch that blows my mind every time. It's remarkable acting, and yet he does shit 99% of the time. The Fighter, which has also gone through years of development hell, looks promising. And we get creepy-skinny cracked out Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and a Jersey Shored-Melissa Leo. I smell Oscar nods.



December 17th - Tron Legacy 
Tron Legacy is this year's Avatar for me - I'm not expecting much, except some awesome visuals, the Daft Punk score, and some beardy delightful Jeff Bridges. This is a dream movie for stoners everywhere.



Rabbit Hole 
Nicole Kidman hasn't done a goddamn thing for me as an actress since To Die For fifteen years ago. She bores me. BUT, I do love me some Aaron Eckart, and some Dianne Wiest. This film is directed by John Cameron Mitchell, who rose to prominence with his first infamous film, Hedwig & the Angry Inch, then topped it with real actors having real sex in Shortbus, which is one of the best films about love and relationships I've ever seen. So I'll deal with some non-moving porcelain faced Kidman, it's a concession I'm willing to make.


December 22nd - Somewhere
Sofia Coppola is my favorite working filmmaker, along with Paul Thomas Anderson. There are better filmmakers, but as a woman who wants to be in the industry, I worship her style and vision as an auteur. Again, the reviews have been mixed on this film from the festivals, but I'll be there the day it opens. Anyone who can look at Stephen Dorff and think "lead in at arthouse film shot at the Chateau-Marmont" has fucking commitment.


True Grit
Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, The Hudsucker Proxy, No Country for Old Men, Fargo, Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, Barton Fink, Miller's Crossing, O Brother Where Art Thou - I really think the Coen Brothers might be consistently the best filmmakers of the past thirty years. Nobody else has that many fantastic films, and True Grit just looks amazing. And the Dude is playing the John Wayne part? Cannot fucking wait.


December 31st - Blue Valentine
I'm really concerned for this film. It just got an appeal to get its NC-17 rating, the kiss of death for commercial releasing, kept, meaning it'll play about 500 screens across the country. Chop heads off, but don't have something resembling real sex - good job, MPAA. Fuckers. I'm all about exploratory films about relationships, a la Cassavetes, and this seems like a good one. The buzz out of Cannes and Sundance has been great, and you really can't do better than Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams for actors of their generation. Getting my tissues ready.


I'm definitely most excited for the last three on this list, and I hope Cincinnati has enough foresight to play them while I'm at home. Doubtful for Blue Valentine. But these are my recommendations for what I think is worth seeing in the months to come, just another baby film snob, take them for what they're worth.