Once again Liam Neeson veers towards tough hero territory, this time fighting for survival in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. While surviving a hostile environment is no small feat, Mr. Neeson is not alone in his efforts to live another day – here are some other notable survival attempts:

Cloverfield

Having your farewell party crashed could be rather unpleasant. Having your farewell party crashed by a gigantic deadly creature is even worse, as was discovered by the heroes of this fast moving fake documentary.

The Descent

In this tense tale about women in danger, six friends find themselves confined to a cavern, having to survive not only the quickly deteriorating conditions, but also some of the uninviting former residents, who turn out to be less than friendly.

Buried

Ryan Reynolds’ character must fight for survival not on Iraqi soil, but rather under it, while in almost total  isolation from the outside world, except for his cellular phone. His captivity must have paid of, since this independent thriller was critically acclaimed.

The Stand

Surviving an apocalypse can be conceived as a mere starting point for a much more meaningful struggle – the one of good versus evil, as seen in the atmospheric mini series, based on a Stephen King book.

Deliverance

In one of the essential films of the 70s, the escapades of four friends on a canoe trip in Georgia serve director John Boorman as means to depict the bleak consequences of a culture clash.

Dead Set

Contrary to popular belief zombies and celebrities aren’t mutually exclusive, as evident in this biting satire about reality show contestants whose motivation not to be eliminated just increased tenfold.

Black Adder Goes Forth

When trying to survive the day to day dreads of war, dark humor can be a useful tool, and this witty rendering of military life during World War I is one of the finest examples of such use. Oddly enough, Richard Curtis who wrote this series went on to write its polar opposite, War Horse.

Battle Royale

Adolescence is a tough period to survive, but hardly so much so as in the future dystopia shown in this controversial cult film, where teenagers must fight each other to the death on a remote island.

Eight Below

Humans aren’t the only ones whose survival stories deserve a filmed account. The real heroes of this sentimental survival story are eight dogs stranded in Antarctica, awaiting rescue by their loving handler.

The Grey

Looks like the conditions are at their worst for poor Liam Neeson and his crew. Sure, they’ve survived an air disaster and the forces of nature, but what about the pack of dangerous animals that surrounds them?

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Oscar nominees were announced yesterday and surprisingly, Hugo leads with 11 nominations, ahead of The Artist with 10. A bit behind are Moneyball and War Horse with 6 nominations each, and The Descendants with 5. Life is never only black and white, so I’ve decided to mention at least one reason why each of the 9 movies nominated for best picture should win, and at least one reason why it shouldn’t. I did list them from worst to best (in my opinion anyway) so I won’t appear completely spineless:

Best Picture – Back to the Past (6 period films)

9. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Why should it win? Because it’s based on a book by Jonathan Safran Foer who is a really great writer. It’s an ambitious and stylized movie that benefits from a fantastic performance by Max Von Sydow.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s extremely kitsch and feels incredibly self-important. It’s an exploitive movie in the sense that it tries to milk the viewer’s tears for a tragic historic event (9/11).

8. The Artist

Why should it win? Because it’s an imaginative, clever and stylized homage to the silent film era; it’s a love letter from director Michel Hazanavicious to cinema in general and to Hollywood in particular (Hollywood will probably repay the love letter with an Oscar in return).

Why shouldn’t it win? If a silent black and white film that was made in the 21st century will win the Oscar it could set a dangerous precedent: Next year we’ll be seeing Moving images that were produced on revolving drums or a movie that will be shown in a Kinetoscope (both inventions that came before the silent film era)…

7. Hugo

Why should it win? Because it’s magical, beautifully shot and naive in a good way. As the cliche goes, this movie is suitable for both children and adults alike. And as a bonus Hugo co-stars Sacha Baron Cohen.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s a bit too long, and a bit too sad considering that kids are its main target audience.

6. The Tree of Life

Why should it win? Because you get to admire the guts Terrence Malick has, creating such a non-communicating movie (long sequences of exploding galaxies and quarreling dinosaurs come to mind). It’s also beautifully shot and directed.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because after you have rejoiced at the sight of people following 10 minutes of solar systems, you realize that you’re in for an uneasy viewing experience: a family with young children who are suffering under the hand of their abusive father.

5. War Horse

Why should it win? Because you just can’t be cynical about this movie, even if you try. It’s moving, nostalgic and even a bit uplifting. It’s kind of strange in the sense that it feels like a family oriented movie despite scenes of soldiers being executed and horses being shot in the head. Seems like Spielberg may have had some sort of an unlikely and impossible combination between E.T and Private Ryan in mind, and somehow it works.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s basically a love story between a young man and a horse.

4. Midnight In Paris

Why should it win? Because after almost giving up on Woody Allen (When You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Whatever Works and Scoop were all bad or mediocre), this movie brought many to believe in him again. It’s witty, clever, nostalgic and magical.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because Woody Allen doesn’t really care about the Oscars, he’s received many of them and one more wouldn’t really make him happy or even happier. He couldn’t care less whether he’ll get the Oscar this year or if Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 will (He didn’t even attend the Golden Globes ceremony).

3. The Help

Why should it win? Because it has a fantastic ensemble cast of female actors, all of them giving excellent performances; and also because it’s an uplifting movie that carries an important message in the spirit of Martin Luther King.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because the only reason the hilarious Bridesmaids wasn’t nominated for best picture is the fact that it had a scene of a woman pooping in the sink. Although no one from the female ensemble cast of The Help poops in the sink, one of them poops in a pie (poop = no Oscar).

2. Moneyball

Why should it win? Because many who don’t know a thing about baseball were still captivated throughout the entire film; Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill both give memorable performances, the dialogue is witty and cynical, the story fascinating and the pacing - perfect.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because Moneyball presents baseball as a game of numbers and not as a game of people; players are being traded as if they were objects.

1. The Descendants

Why should it win? Because it has a very intelligent and mature outlook on death, responsibility and loss; it manages to be emotional and moving and at the same time also very funny. The acting by every single actor in the movie is top notch.

Why shouldn’t it win? Because it’s a heartbreaking movie and our heart is a fragile organ.

Since there are still plenty of important categories, but only limited internet space, I’ll refer briefly to the other notable Oscar nominations:

Best Actor – Friendship on the Line

The two best performances this year belonged to the two buddies – George Clooney and Brad Pitt. While Clooney already won an Oscar (for best supporting actor), Pitt is still Oscar-less. Maybe if Clooney wins he’ll give up his Oscar and give it to Pitt - Oscars arrive every year, but true friends are sure hard to come by.

Should be: Brad Pitt or George Clooney

Will be: George Clooney

Best Actress – The Usual Suspect

When portraying Margaret Thatcher, it feels as though Meryl Streep decided to take on the role she played in Julie and Julia - Julia Child, and make her passionate about politics and leadership instead of cooking and food. And so, in The Iron Lady we have Meryl Streep playing Julia Child playing Margaret Thatcher. Is it an Oscar worthy performance? I think so.

Should be: Meryl Streep

Will be: Meryl Streep

Best Director – Payneful Decision

In The Descendants Alexander Payne constructed a wonderful movie that doesn’t have one unnecessary moment in it. He brought the best out of all the actors in his film, and created a beautiful and most of all humane movie. In The Tree of Life Terrence Malick directed an ultra-stylized, offbeat and ambitious (many would say pretentious) film. I don’t think he deserves the Oscar for it, but since it’s his first movie in six years, the Academy might grant him the reward as an incentive to keep making movies.

Should be: Alexander Payne

Will be: Terrence Malick

Best Original Screenplay – Wiig VS. Woody

Bridesmaids was outrageously snubbed, and wasn’t nominated for best picture or for best actress (Kristen Wiig gave a star making performance there). Winning the Oscar for best original screenplay would be the only just compensation for the horrid injustice. Midnight in Paris is the first brilliant Woody Allen film in years, and can also be regarded as a worthy candidate.

Should be: Bridesmaids or Midnight in Paris

Will be: Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay – Alexander the Great (and Aaron Sorkin the greater)

Moneyball’s screenplay was written by one of the best screenwriters alive today – Aaron Sorkin. Just like in The Social Network, Moneyball also totes a witty, cynical and clever script that made me become fascinated about a subject that doesn’t really interest me (Baseball. I’m not really into Facebook either, and was also captivated by The Social Network). The Descendants also has a great script by Alexander Payne, but not as sharp as Moneyball’s.

Should be: Moneyball

Will be: The Descendants

Best Animated Movie – The Chameleon

After we surprisingly found out that The Adventures of Tintin wasn’t nominated, we were left with only one serious candidate in this category. Rango is funny, visually stunning, and witty. It’s great for a family outing, and great for fans of Westerns who can appreciate the many references to the classics of the genre.

Should be: Rango

Will be: Rango

Best Foreign Movie – Israel VS. Iran (Part 1?)

Winner of the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, Footnote is a psychological and clever movie about an ego clash between a father and his son, a clash between traditional and modern, between two methods of thinking, between two brilliant and eccentric professors. It is overwhelming proof that Israeli cinema has more to offer than just war movies. A Separation, which will probably be the winner in this category, is also a good and powerful drama, but a bit too slow for the average movie goer. Are the Americans going to give the Iranians an Oscar and take out their nuclear program? It’s a give and take I’m willing to accept.

Should be: Footnote

Will be: A Separation

Technorati Tags: Oscars, nominees, Hugo, The Artist, Moneyball, War Horse, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer, Max Von Sydow, silent film, Hollywood, Michel Hazanavicious, Sacha Baron Cohen, The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick, War Horse, Spielberg, Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen, The Help, Bridesmaids, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, The Iron Lad, Alexander Payne, Kristen Wiig, Aaron Sorkin, Rango, Footnote, A Separation

Popularity: 1% [?]

Welcome to Sundance, where every filmmaker’s dream can come true. 10 days of a unique film festival, a place where small-scaled, intimate & offbeat movies can get meaningful screening time and recognition, and their creators can start dreaming big. All of the movies shown at Sundance are independent, without the funds and the backing of a big studio. The festival does not discriminate in its entries, screening fictional dramas, documentaries and shorts, from the US and abroad; and big budget studios come to shop around and fish for the next big hit, hoping to spread their wings over future great film prodigies. For 10 days in snowy Utah, a film-buff fest is happening, shining with vivid colors of freshness and originality.

Over the past years we see a lot of these “small” movies get not only rave reviews and wide acclamation, but also receive growing recognition from the more “mainstream” institutes, even within the Academy Awards. Movies like Precious, Winter’s Bone, The Cove, Frozen River and many more have received Oscar nods over the past years; world-wide audiences became familiar with these films and their once-unknown talented actors (like Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa Leo, Ryan Gosling etc.) became big movie stars. For example (and also for future trivia) – even Vin Diesel, known mostly for his action-packed movies, was introduced in the festival with his own first feature film, Strays. The ones who make their first steps in the movie world at Sundance, could be the ones making the next big Hollywood blockbusters a few years from now.

Here is a review of some of the major films that have highlighted the Sundance festival over the past 10 years. The list doesn’t solely include the Grand Jury prize winners, but rather movies that were the most interesting and left us with the best lasting impression.

How does a guy cope with transforming his way of living and re-evaluating his personal commitments? L’Ultimo Bacio (The Last Kiss), an Italian romantic drama, follows this stage in life and the dilemmas ensuing within a group of Italian friends in their late twenties.

Carlo finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant, and that his life is about to take a 180 degree turn - its his time to settle down with his loved one, start a family and find stability. Although on the surface he appears ready for this new challenge, deep down inside he is hesitant and considers indulging himself with one last fling. He confides with his mates, who are facing different crossroads themselves. As a dramatic buddy film about adulthood, this movie doesn’t necessarily paint relationships and human & moral dilemmas with pretty colors. A few years later, Zach Braff made an American version of this film, with a slightly more Hollywood-ish ending.

This delightful fairytale-like movie from New Zealand about a girl’s coming of age, tells the story of a young Maori girl, who dares to defy the cultural traditions of her tribe. Pai was born to a strong Maori family line, a direct descendant of her ancestral tribe leaders. However, she cannot succeed her grandfather as the tribe’s chief, a role reserved only for men. Pai struggles against her family and her tribe for the fulfillment of her destiny as a leader in the upcoming times of crisis.

A standard day depicted in the movie - Morgan Spurlock enters a McDonald’s restaurant; he orders a meal – Big Mac, fries, coke; he has only 4 rules of thumb – eat three meals a day at McDonald’s, eat only from McDonald’s, try everything from the menu, and most importantly – whenever asked if he would like to super size his meal, he must reply ‘yes’.

Morgan tried this diet for a whole month, while preserving his normal lifestyle. He wanted to see the impact of everyday McDonald’s nutrition on his health, and consequently, at some point of the filming he was in real life-threatening danger. Super Size Me is a thought provoking and controversial documentary, with a witty twist of humor.

An intriguing stylized crime drama, and one of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best, back when he was still a well-respected actor in indie films and before transforming into a (well-respected) actor in big-budget movies. Brick is a clever and witty neo-noir film, but instead of shady offices and dark corners of the city, this movie occurs in the shady corners of the school and in the darker parts of suburbia. JGL is caught up in a murder investigation of his ex-girlfriend, which gradually leads him to discover a web of schemes and intrigues that hide underneath the surface; only in this case, the femme fatale and the amateur shrewd detective are teenagers.

Ryan Gosling has played in three of the most significant movies that came out this year – The Ides of March, Crazy Stupid Love and Drive. He is known as a multi-dimensional actor, and rightfully so; but everyone has to start gaining attention somewhere, and for him, the official quality stamp for his performances was given for Half Nelson.
Gosling is a dedicated teacher at a Brooklyn school, educating students who come from a rough background. His life and relationships are in turmoil, and he has a big skeleton in his closet – he is, to some degree, a drug addict. When one of his students, a young African-American girl, accidentally discovers his dark secret, they begin to form a supportive friendship. But events that happen to each of them start to deteriorate both their lives.

Half Nelson depicts a situation that only an indie movie can address properly. Although it hasn’t won any awards at Sundance, this film is well-worth mentioning, and its leading actor received his praise at the Academy Awards when he was nominated for an Oscar for his role.

This intimate musical drama, set in present day Ireland, shows the embroidering relationship between a daydreaming street musician and a hard-working & talented immigrant, a relationship based mainly on the love of creating and making beautiful music.
Director John Carney and lead actor Glen Hansard played in the same rock band – The Frames, and used some of their material in the film’s wonderful soundtrack, including the award winning song “Falling Slowly”. Both musicians and first-time actors – Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (who were romantically involved in real life) – proclaimed they would never act again in a fictional movie, so this is a good chance to see them in this mesmerizing sweet film.

Some people look for an adrenaline rush and try to live on the extreme, others defy restrictions and go against the rules. Philippe Petit, a high-wire artist, has found a way to combine both thrills – he would exhibit his art & perform his stunts on high-altitude landmarks (not necessarily with authorization). Towards 1974 he had already set his eyes on the World Trade Center – and aimed to be the first man to walk on a wire stretched between the Twin Towers’ rooftops, at the height of 1,368 feet.

Man on Wire documents, through recent interviews and rare archive footage, the efforts and difficulties faced towards completing his mission – from formulating the idea and assembling a team to actually sneaking into the World Trade Center. Spoiler - At the end of it all, Petit managed to perform one of the greatest stunts in history.

Asperger Syndrome is a disorder that makes it difficult to communicate and understand everyday social situations, or to decipher human emotions and reactions, such as facial expressions, sarcasm and non-verbal gestures. Nevertheless, people with Asperger live, work and build their lives like everyone else. Mozart and the Whale was a moving film that addressed Asperger; Adam is another unique example.

Adam’s (Hugh Dancy) pre-determined organized routine has been shattered – his father, who took care of him, died. Adam also lost his job. Now he has to try to adjust himself to the unfamiliar through the difficulties imposed by his Asperger Syndrome. Beth (Rose Byrne) has just moved into Adam’s apartment building, and her life is also a mess following a hard breakup. The two find each other, and this seemingly-impossible relationship blossoms slowly as they support one another but also face more distinctive difficulties than most couples do.

A crime drama from the land down under. A heroin overdose, a violent crime spree, armed robbery and drug dealing - all these are combined to form a tense and bleak crime film, where the young “J” gets unwillingly exposed to the life of his grandmother and relatives – a family of gangsters. A police detective is trying to salvage J and make him testify against his gangster family. This highly-acclaimed Australian film has slowly and steadily gained its well-deserved attention.

The tag line simply says it all – “I want you/I need you/I love you/I miss you/Like Crazy” – its all about the craziness you feel when you can’t be with the one you love, leading to contemplation if the affection is strong and meaningful enough to be worthy of the trouble & agony.

Anna and Jacob fall in love; they spend a romantic summer in Los Angeles together, madly in love. But Anna is on a student visa to the US, and when she returns briefly to England, she finds out she can’t come back to L.A. anymore. The couple starts their struggle to allow Anna re-entrance to the country, while trying to maintain a long-distance relationship, with all its difficulties, reflections and frustrations. And they miss each other, to be honest, like crazy. Can love be strong enough to overcome all the barriers in front of them? This anticipated romantic drama is coming out in wide release at the end of this month.

So after all these great movies of the past years, Sundance truly is a film festival to look forward to. Hopefully this year’s festival will bring a fine crop of good unique films, which we will be hearing about in the coming years, after their first test drive at Sundance. Great things (and films) are ahead of us.

Technorati Tags: Academy Awards, Alfred P. Sloan Prize, Directing Award for a Documentary, Documentary, Drama, Grand Jury Prize, Grand Jury prize winners, Half Nelson, Hollywood, independent films, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Like Crazy, Man on Wire, Morgan Spurlock, romantic drama, Ryan Gosling, Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision, Sundance, Sundance Film Festival, Super Size Me, The Last Kiss, Whale Rider, World Cinema Audience Award, World Cinema Jury Prize

Popularity: 1% [?]

Today is Martin Luther King Day, the day that commemorates the legacy of one of the greatest and most unique historical figures in the United States. His fight for civil rights was one of the few nonviolent protests and was inspired by Mahatma Ghandi’s philosophy and actions. Reverend King’s determination and relentlessness ultimately prevailed on July 2nd 1964, when the Congress enacted the Civil Rights act, a law prohibiting discrimination and racial segregation in America. Dr. King kept reminding Americans that they were the ones who said “all men were created equal”, until eventually the message sunk in. A few months later he became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He didn’t seek office, he didn’t seek power, he only wanted justice. Only a handful of people in the history of the world are as humble as MLK. It was never about him, and he kept his eyes on the goal, never wanting to better himself, but to better society. We’ve come a long way since then, through trials and tribulations, to the day where the first black President was elected. Racism

sadly and apparently still exists and will probably be here for ever. Our nature is to generalize, and over-generalization could lead to bigotry, but the trick is to be aware of it and constantly check if your generalization fits with reality (the one outside of your TV). So in honor of this icon, I have selected ten titles that deal with themes such as fighting the system, racism, race-relations and civil rights in the spirit of Dr. King:

1. Roots (1977) – The story of early black experience in America is told in this 12-part mini-series, from the beginning, in 18th century Africa, to 1867. The series focuses on the story of one particular slave, Kunta Kinte, from his capture in Africa, his arrival to America, his acclamation to his new environment, his new social status, and his rebelliousness. The fact that the story focuses on one man helps us relate to the history on a more personal level. By seeing Kunta Kinte’s life turned upside down and him needing to learn a new language and suffer humiliation and dehumanization, we gain a better understanding of what slavery means to the slave. This saga expands to a blueprint of America. The greatness of this series is that it is educational and thought provoking without being didactic, instead it captivated audiences across the USA.

2. Do the Right Thing (1989) – Spike Lee’s movie sums up the problem between races in America, not in a historical way like Roots, but by painting a current picture of the American society of the time. And it does so in a very original way. The strong colors, the eccentric characters, the great monologues aimed straight at the viewer, and, of course, the hip hop score make Lee’s stylized meditation on interracial relations and violence an essential watch for any movie lover. The movie ends with two conflicting quotes, one from Dr. King that states that violence is never justified, and the other, from black leader Malcolm X, that violence as self defense is intelligence. These two conflicting philosophies lead the struggle for equality of the African Americans since its beginning.

3. La Haine (1995) – USA is not the only country where there are tensions between races. Set on the background of real riots that broke out in the suburbs of Paris (suburbs being equivalent to the urban ghetto in the US), three buddies, from different races (Jewish, Arab and African) make a semi-aimless trip to the heart of Paris. Their friend has just been critically injured in the riots, by the hand of a cop, and being small time criminals themselves they contemplate revenge. During their meanderings we get a pretty bleak picture of social decay in 90s France, which is emphasized by the black and white picture. And like in Spike Lee’s movie, the question of the use of violence arises, with the title being taken from the line “Hatred breeds hatred”.

4. City of Hope (1991) – Let’s go back to the States, with John Sayles’ powerful drama, set in a fictional city in the USA. Sayles uses multiple stories to show us a broad depiction of what is wrong with America, and how corruption from the top leads to tragedy at the bottom. This is one of the best movies about city life, bringing a story from all of its facets and showing how they affect each other. Sayles’ use of unknown actors and how his roaming camera jumps from one conversation to another, gives the film a very authentic feel.

5. District 9 (2009) – What if the aliens that come to earth do not have an obvious mission to destroy our planet, enslave our people or probe our behinds? What if the alien encounter doesn’t happen in America? Is that even possible? Shot in a fake documentary style, this South African movie confronts racism from an original angle – the alien one. The cinematography, mostly used in horror films, gives this sci-fi flick a real feeling. From the government’s interest in alien technology, through curiosity and condescension to basic human xenophobia, this is a great study of human nature. Hopefully, this will serve as a cautionary tale so that when they do come, we’ll treat them differently.

6. In the Heat of the Night (1988 – 1994) – Based on the film by the same name. This hit TV series tells the story of African American police detective Virgil Tibbs (Howard E. Rollins Jr.) returning to his home town in Mississippi and being persuaded to stay and work there in order to improve the town’s racist reputation. The town’s police chief (Carroll O’Connor, who played a likeable bigot in All in the Family) is at first reluctant to work with someone he didn’t choose (and who is black), but over time their relationship grows to become a real friendship. All the facets of small town life were explored in this Emmy award winning series that dealt with interracial relations, prejudice and racism in a sincere way.

7. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) – The 80s in England were very tense times. During Margaret Thatcher’s reign as Prime Minister, many race-related riots broke out across England. On the background of these hard times, Hanif Kureishi wrote and Stephen Frears directed a touching and clever love story, between a young Pakistani man (Gordon Warnecke) trying to make a life for himself while taking care of his alcoholic father, and his old friend from high school, Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis), a white British punk. Frears and Kureishi handle the very delicate themes of racism and being gay in a conservative environment with lots of restraint and humor, making this seemingly impossible love story between two young men as natural as any other love story seen on screen.

8. Milk (2008) – Today’s main fight for equal civil rights in America centers around gay rights. Between “don’t ask, don’t tell,” gay marriage, and the fight against bullying gay youths in schools, this subject rose to media prominence in recent years. Gus van Sant’s movie tells a captivating biography of one of the most important leaders of the fight for gay rights in America. It’s interesting to predict what MLK would have thought of Milk and the gay rights movement, as he was a clergyman, and religion is and has always been the biggest obstacle between gays and their rights, but I think he could have been persuaded over time.

9. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) – Frank Capra’s classic comedy drama has a lot of  points in common with Dr. King’s biography. James Stewart plays an idealistic ordinary person put in the senate.  Corrupt politicians, think they can exploit his naiveté and manipulate him for their own devious schemes. But Mr. Smith’s Idealism prevails as he never loses sight of his goal, even when risking his well-being in order to fight the corrupted system. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith’s fate was far brighter than Dr. King’s, but that’s reality for you – it doesn’t answer to anyone. It has its own agenda.

10. Budrus (2009) – Most documentaries depicting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict offers viewers little or no hope. They are bleak and disturbing, leaving you angry and depressed, with a feeling of helplessness. And because MLK is all about hope, I chose this documentary that shows the idealistic and nonviolent fight against the building of the controversial Separation Barrier. The Palestinian village of Budrus finds out that the barrier that the Israeli government is building annexes their land to Israel. Instead of the usual violent outbreaks we see so often they decide to lead a peaceful fight in order to stop this injustice. That’s not all, the representatives of Fatah and Hamas, two rival organizations involved in a violent power struggle for the Palestinian vote, come together to fight for the same cause, and by the same peaceful means. Israeli activists join them and together they succeed in overturning the decision, and save the land. It’s a story about human spirit, and that’s what Dr. King was all about.

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Contraband is coming out; it’s an American remake (with Mark Wahlberg) of an Icelandic movie called Reykjavik-Rotterdam. Contraband follows The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake that came out last month and stayed more or less true to the Swedish one. There are more and more of these American remakes of foreign films coming out, mainly because most of the American movie goers don’t really like subtitled movies, so the remakes make sense for that purpose.

A postmodernist might also say that nothing is original in the postmodern era, so it doesn’t really matter if it’s a remake, what matters is how well it’s made. So, are the remakes really as good as the originals? I did the job for you and watched 10 recent examples of originals vs. their remakes and came back with sensational (well, not really) conclusions:

10. Germany vs. USA

Das Experiment (2001): Based on the 1971 Stanford University simulation study of the psychology of imprisonment, it is an intense psychodrama about a group of ordinary men who volunteer to participate in a paid two-week study on the mental effects of prison life.

The Experiment (2010): The remake starred Adrien Brody opposite Forest Whitaker, it was released straight to video in the United States despite being a solid remake with two great leading actors.

And the winner is: The German movie. Both movies work as a morality tale that reminds us that power corrupts, but the German original was more tense and more disturbing than the American remake and made a stronger impact.

9. Denmark vs. USA

Brothers (2004): The beautiful Connie Nielsen is the powerful and emotional star of the acclaimed Danish film. It tells the story of a soldier, Michael, who goes off on a mission to Afghanistan, his helicopter is shot down and he is assumed to have been killed in action. The news devastates his wife Sarah (Nielsen), while his brother Jannik steps in to help her and the kids build a new life. But as Jannik and Sarah grow close, it is discovered that Michael has survived - and has done something that haunts him and threatens everything and everyone.

Brothers (2009):  The American remake starred Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal as the brothers and Natalie Portman stepped into Connie Nielsen’s role from the original. The character-driven drama was lifted by strong performances, especially by Tobey Maguire.

And the winner is: I don’t want to create any favoritism among siblings, I call it a draw. Both movies were equally emotional with great performances.

8. France vs. USA

The Dinner Game (1998): Pierre and his snobbish friends enjoy a cruel tradition, hosting dinner parties and seeing who can bring the dullest, most idiotic guest. Pierre is confident he has found a real champion in Francois, an accountant whose favorite hobby is making matchstick models of famous tourist attractions. But the tables turn when Pierre gets stuck in his apartment for the weekend with Francois, and is forced to dine on his just desserts.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010): Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis starred in the remake that did quite poorly both critically and financially.

And the winner is: The French original. Both versions offered more than a few laughs, but the French movie was not only funnier, but also more sentimental and “feel good”, while the American relied more on silly humor and slapstick.

7. Thailand vs. USA

Bangkok Dangerous (1999): Kong is a mute and deaf killer. Joe is Kong’s best friend, who retired from working as a hitman when his hand was injured in a shootout. One day, Kong meets Fon, a sweet innocent young woman who works in a drugstore. He falls in love and begins to question the life he leads.

Bangkok Dangerous (2008): The American remake was less moody and stylized and swapped the deaf-mute Thai hit man for Nicholas Cage as a mentor to a young trainee assassin. The deaf-mute element didn’t disappear completely from the movie, since Cage’s pharmacist/love interest in the movie was deaf-mute.

And the winner is: The Thai movie. The theory about the ratio between Nicholas Cage’s hair length and the quality of the movie he’s in is always right (The longer the hair, the worst the movie, and in Bangkok Dangerous his hair is very long).

3-0 for the foreign originals.

6. Argentina vs. USA

Nine Queens (2000): Tells the story of Juan, a con artist with a conscience. Trying to round up enough money to pay off his father’s debts, Juan stumbles into fellow swindler Marcos, a far more confident, experienced criminal. When Marcos offers Juan the chance to team up for the day he agrees to the partnership. After a few minor cons, the pair unknowingly stumbles into a potentially lucrative score involving a wealthy businessman, Gandolfo, and a forged set of rare stamps, The Nine Queens.

Criminal (2004): In the remake John C. Riley plays the lead and does an impressive job as always. Even after watching the original, it is still genuinely difficult to determine who is conning whom in Criminal (you tend to forget a lot in 4 years).

And the winner is: A draw. Both movies are clever, with many twists and turns and with strong performances all around.

5. Sweden vs. USA

Let The Right One In (2008): A lonely misfit finds a soul mate in the form of a vampire child who recently became his neighbor. This atmospheric and captivating movie is probably the best Swedish movie in the last 25 years.

Let Me In (2010): The remake takes place in a small New Mexican town and stars the rising star Chloe Moretz as the young (young looking at least) vampire.

And the winner is: Once again a draw, you might start thinking these movies are actually very much alike. The remake manages to be quite similar to the original, but also be different enough to hold its own.

4. Hong Kong vs. USA

Infernal Affairs (2002): Ming is a cop who secretly reports to ruthless crime boss Sam; and Yan is an undercover police officer who poses as a Triad member in Sam’s gang. For Yan, the years of living in the criminal underworld have taken their toll, and he longs to return to regular police duty. However, the only person who knows Yan’s true identity is his mentor Superintendent Wong, also the unsuspecting superior of Ming. When Wong’s officers come face to face with Sam’s gang, both leaders realize there are moles in their midst.

The Departed (2006): The American remake had Martin Scorsese in the helm and a super impressive cast that included Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon among others. After years of disappointments at the Academy Awards, The Departed was finally the movie that brought Scorsese the long awaited Oscar.

And the winner is: Hong Kong. Despite the huge success of The Departed, both critically and financially, it wasn’t as good as Infernal Affairs. The Hong Kong original is extremely suspenseful, and in my opinion, one of the best crime thrillers ever made.

3. Norway vs. USA

Insomnia (1997): An exiled Swedish city detective working in Norway travels to the small coastal town of Tromso in order to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. He makes a fatal mistake in the investigation, his conscience, coupled with the insomnia caused by the 24-hour summer sunlight of northernmost Norway, sets him on the path to insanity.

Insomnia (2002): The America remake directed by Christopher Nolan took place in Alaska and had Robin Williams playing opposite Al Pacino.

And the winner is: I lost a lot of sleep trying to reach my decision here; eventually I was so tired I decided to call it a draw. Both are well made tense psychological thrillers.

2. Spain vs. USA

Open Your Eyes (1997): 25-year-old César has it all: a successful career, expensive cars, and an endless string of beautiful and willing women. Unfortunately, he can’t get rid of his latest conquest, Nuria, soon enough. When she crashes his birthday party, César uses his best friend Pelayo’s stunningly attractive girlfriend, Sofia, as a means to get to her. The next morning, Nuria is waiting in her car outside his apartment and manages to coax him into the vehicle. The next thing César knows, he’s wearing a mask to conceal a horrible disfiguration while being interrogated in a prison where he is held on a murder charge.

Vanilla Sky (2001): The American remake failed miserably. It was structured in a way that made it incoherent, and suffered from below par performances of its leads, especially Tom Cruise. The movie also felt way too long and like its main character, it lacked a distinct identity.

And the winner is: Finally an easy one, the Spanish original is much better.

1. Israel vs. USA

Prisoners of War (2009): The Israeli original had more drama and less tension, it focused more on the families and their coping with the homecoming of their loved one after 17 years in captivity. It also offered less plot twists, one of the biggest plot twists in the Israeli version was actually quite a small one in the American and was revealed there early on.

Homeland (2011): A lot of changes were made in comparison to the original: The lead role of the obsessed female CIA agent was added, a lot more emphasis was put on the government agency trying to find out if there is a threat to the national security. There was also less focus on the family and on the torture the soldier had to endure during the captivity period.

And the winner is: Homeland. The Israeli series was pretty good, but had a few moments that felt overly melodramatic and even a bit cheesy. The American series can be regarded as a near masterpiece, it glues you to the chair trying to guess what the next mind blowing twist will be, and usually you just can’t see it coming.

Conclusion: It’s 5-1 in favor of the originals!

I admit, it’s not the most surprising conclusion ever, the foreign originals are usually better than their American remakes. But, is it a reason to stop making these remakes? I definitely don’t think so. I wouldn’t have known about the existence of many of these fantastic foreign films if not for their American remakes. Some American remakes only serve the purpose of helping Americans discover the originals, but many others are excellent films on their own right.

So, which movie will you see, Contraband, Reykjavik-Rotterdam or both? And if you are planning on watching them both, which one will you watch first, the remake or the original?

Technorati Tags: foreign originals vs. american remakes, original vs. remake, remakes, das experiment, the experiment, brothers, the dinner game, dinner for schmucks, bangkok dangerous, nine queens, criminal, let the right one in, let me in, internal affairs, the departed, insomnia, open your eyes, contraband, prisoners of war, homeland

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