So, after putting a moratorium on Hollywood films earlier this year (in protest to all the soulless, unoriginal garbage I kept subjecting myself to), I finally ventured back to the Arclight to give her another chance. I’m so glad I did! THE ARTIST is a wonderfully successful black and white, silent film in this day and age. That unto itself is a remarkable feat. How grand to hear a packed theater laugh and cheer throughout this lovely anachronism. And the tap dancing! Not to mention the period clothes and my dream hat. The female protagonist is marvelous and I’ll forgive the lack of character arc for the male protagonist because, otherwise, it’s nearly flawless.
HUGO, though a bit longish and inconsistent in tone, is a delightful love letter to early cinema and my beloved Georges Melies. Like all love letters, it’s a bit sappy, but it’s also stunning (amazing production design and some great use of 3-D) and ever so moving. Watching clips from old silent favorites on the big screen alongside lovingly recreated works from Melies’, literally, magical oeuvre was a real treat. And for those not in the know, it’s a great history lesson.
For the crowning glory – in this academic nerd girl’s humble opinion: Cronenberg’s latest, A DANGEROUS METHOD. Not a Kiera Knightly fan at all (for goodness sakes, Dear, eat a cookie! And please stop treating every scene like high-stakes Shakespeare. It’s overkill), I was a bit distracted by her performance in the first act. I simply didn’t buy it. But even she grows into her role beautifully (what a remarkable woman that Sabine Spielrein!) and aside from this minor hiccup, I think this is one of the best films I’ve seen all year (alongside Miranda July’s THE FUTURE, Mork Sjeler’s DARK 
SOULS, Mona Achache’s THE HEDGEHOG, and Fred Cavaye’s POINT BLANK. Oh, and Tom Tykwer’s 3 and Joann Sfar’s GAINSBOURG: A HEROIC LIFE. And Mike Mills’ BEGINNERS. It HAS been a good year for movies if you just know where to look.)
I am so thrilled that one of my favorite directors has not gone the route of so many that seem to become caricatures of their former glory, but instead continues to grow and become all the more clever in time. I daresay, he’s one of the most intelligent seeming directors out there (read his book CRONENBERG ON CRONENBERG and see if you don’t agree.) It gives me great hope for 
Polanski’s new film, the trailer for which looks almost Altman-esque and back on track after the rather disappointing GHOSTWRITER. I haven’t lost faith, Roman. Please come back to me!
Oh and, lest I forget, for lovers of guilty pleasures, by all means check out HAROLD & KUMAR’s 3D CHRISTMAS. To date, it’s my favorite 3-D experience. You just haven’t fully lived until you’re sitting in a theater, a storm of cocaine snowing all around you as Bing Crosby croons WHITE CHRISTMAS. And though babies usually scare the crap out of me, the one in this movie finally reveals to me their allure. Allow me to demonstrate…
THIS IS YOUR BABY…
THIS IS YOUR BABY ON POT, COKE & ECSTASY…
ANY QUESTIONS?
Yes, it’s sick, depraved and utterly irresponsible. It’s also the most fun I’ve had in the 21-room at the Arclight in a long time. There’s something to be said for filmmakers who know what kind of movie they’re making and unabashedly go for it, no-holds barred, full speed ahead (so to speak). Thanks, Hollywood – now that’s movie magic! In fact, I think I may just give the new MUPPETS a chance…