Quincy Ark, an adaptation

After a recent viewing of Alexander Sokurov's 2002 film Russian Ark there was a lively discussion among the house members recognizing the parallels between the two venerable historical institutions, the Hermitage Museum and the Quincy House. This lead to the development of a short film treatment.

Quincy Ark - Screen Treatment

Narrator/Camera view point - Nathan

Vignette 1 - Front of house

Coffee House revelers two men and two women are walking up to the house with narrator following.

Revelers go around the side of the house. Men are lagging behind women jostling for position as one claims a female.

Vignette 2 - Below back porch

Revelers go up the back stairs while narrator bumps into Santi at bottom of stairs, both go below stairs under house walk by window looking through to see Jeremiah Cunningham and Col. Brooks working on his still discussing the founding of the house.

Vignette 3 Back yard

Santi and narrator are interupted by loud noise behind them, turn around to find rugby players loudly reveling in the back yard. Santi and narrator wander through the partying crowd. No one notices them and Santi urges caution, discusses their petty jockishness while being drawn to the reality of their vital debauchery. One jock on the periphery notices santi and chases the pair off.

Vignette 4 In the basement

Enter the basement through the outside door. Come upon period couple and child huddling in corner whispering in fear. Discussing the know nothing riots. Santi recalls the fire to the narrator. They walk past and up the stairs.

Vignette 5 - The hallway/bathroom door.

Reaching the top of the stairs the two walk to the bathroom door. Santi motions as if to enter. Narrator cautions strongly and fearfully against it. Open door see house resident in bath tub scrubbing. Resident remarks about the terror of trying to clean the bathroom. Scares out Santi and Narrator.

Vignette 6 - Fireplace half of Living room - Scotch tasting

Santi and narrator enter the room to a resident (perhaps in some sort of period clothing) giving an introduction to a scotch with much pomp and circumstance. Santi quietly mocks while narrator disagrees. Both mention not knowing the taste of alcohol any more. Move to the dining room.

Vignette 7 - Dining room - contemporary people

Enter the dining room with 3 contemporary people, one staring at the St Bridget poster, one investigating beer on the table, and one looking at the movie shelf. Narrator and stanti move to the person at the movie shelf who is now holding a bergman film. Santi questions the person and ultimately berates them for a lack of taste in film.

Vignette 8 - (optional) Kitchen scene

Narrator tires of santi's conversation and wanders to the Kitchen, enters kitchen sees landlord fixing broken diswasher muttering about students trashing the place. Is approached by "re-founding" members of the house. Discuss their idea for a house of Catholic men.

Vignette 9 - Living room other half

Narrator begins to search for Santi again. Wanders through dining room now full of people talking. Sees performers in the stage area who begin to play music. walks through the area finds Santi hitting on some woman. Tries to talk with him, but Santi ignores/can't hear him. Band finishes song and people applaud, start to get up and make their way out. Narrator sees original couple that was entering now sitting hand in hand on couch. Narrator finds Santi standing there and they converse, Santi says he is staying. narrator makes it out to the front door, and out the window on the door one only sees water.

Projects Underway at the House

So I am feeling a little overwhelmed by all of the projects that myself and other housemates are working on at the moment, so I thought I would take a break from the craziness and enumerate them.

We are at the moment:

Planning a the first off-site Coffee House 1.5 weeks
Planning an American Whiskey Tasting in 2 weeks
Working on 3 separate freelancing web site projects
Trying to start a T-Shirt company
Beginning promotion for our Band
Finishing up creating a new musical instrument
Planning an Easter dinner for 20+
Encoding a DVD for the nun film project
Mixing down 3 live performances from the 24bit multi-track files
Practicing music for 3 gigs

And I'm sure there are some other happenings in there somewhere. At least things aren't getting boring.

The making of a Caucasian

Anyone who has spent any time in the Quincy House dining room will have noticed that two things we are passionate about are fine films and fine alcoholic beverages. One film that I have always enjoyed is the Cohen brother’s, The Big Lebowski, which is not only a classic film, but it also prominently features a classic drink. The Dude’s love for white Russians has certainly made the drink a part of the American vocabulary. One practice that the film has not caused growth in is (at least according to my extensive search of the interwebs) the practice of the dude’s unique recipe, which is using non-dairy creamer to make the drink. In fact, I was not able to find a single mention of anyone who had actually tried doing so. Since we recently screened the film, it seemed incumbent upon us to document and review the process of making a Caucasian.

Ingredients:
Vodka
Kaluha
Ice
Coffee Mate Non-Dairy Creamer

After mixing the drink, the first observation that I had was that the creamer did not immediately mix as evenly as the milk did.


Even after some vigorous stirring the creamer still clumped together in small chunks.


This led to an interesting drinking experience because every once and a while I caught a large bit of creamer crystals. The surprising bit was that the added texture was almost enjoyable. It is almost akin to having the cookie bits in a Krackle bar.


Aside from texture, the flavor of the creamer fit the drink quite well. Indeed after finishing the Caucasian, I moved to a more standard white Russian and I had a hard time discerning much difference in quality, however there may have been other intervening factors.
And of course the drink was best enjoyed while watching the film.

Rafter Music Video Contest

Here is the Quincy Studio's entry in the Rafter Music Video Contest:

Movie and Discussion Promo Video

Things That Changed Aaron's Life

One of the housemates sometimes likes to ask if something someone is praising changed their life. It's a bit of an overblown phrase - "changed your life" - but there's something to it. Last night I was thinking about this notion in regards to art. We often like talk about the power of art to transform people (cf. Das Leben der Andere), but with regards to particular pieces, more often we speak in terms of objective value or historical significance, rather than personal subjective importance.

So I got to thinking: What works of art have changed my life? Since that can be a rather intangible criteria, I came up with two more specific questions: What works of art have caused me to really sit up and take notice? Or what works do I find myself looking back to and referencing time and again?

Really, I think these are two sides of the same coin; both questions identify works that reveal something heretofore unknown in my experience. These are works that transcend their medium or genre: not, "This is a great painting," but "This is great."

So here are some preliminary lists. I may modify or explicate them in subsequent posts - they are, after all, highly provisional tabulations - but for now, simply laying them down is labor enough.

Things That Changed Aaron's Life

Visual Art:
Bernini, Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
--, Apollo and Daphne
--, David
--, The Rape of Proserpina
Abbott Handerson Thayer, A Virgin

Books:
Homer, The Iliad
uncertain, Song of Songs
Plato, Republic
Shakespeare, Macbeth
Milton, Paradise Lost
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life
T. S. Eliot, The Four Quartets
C. S. Lewis, A Preface to Paradise Lost
--, Mere Christianity
--, The Chronicles of Narnia
--, The Four Loves
--, A Grief Observed
Martin Heidegger, Building Dwelling Thinking
Josef Pieper, Leisure, the Basis of Culture
--, The Four Cardinal Virtues
J. R. R. Tolkien, Leaf by Niggle
Walter M. Miller, A Canticle for Leibowitz
Michael Shaara, The Killer Angels
Lloyd Alexander, The Prydain Chronicles
George Weigel, Witness to Hope
Stephen Pressfield, Gates of Fire
John Eldredge, Wild at Heart

Music:
Palestrina, various
de Victoria, various
Fauré, Requiem
Rich Mullins, Songs
--, A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band
--, Never Picture Perfect
Anonymous 4, An English Ladymass
--, 1000: A Mass for the End of Time
Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
Rosie Thomas, These Friends of Mine

Films:
Chariots of Fire
The Mission
Shadowlands
La Vita è bella
Amelie
In America

Opera:
Giacomo Pucini, Gianni Schicchi

Beverages:
Earl Grey tea
Strongbow cider
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale


PS You might notice that there are far more books than paintings, for example. I guess it's a pretty basic proof that I've spent more time in libraries than in art galleries.

Some of the Best

This time of year, many writers are putting together a “best films of 2007” list. I would like to get in on the action, but it would be a little impractical for me to try to list the best films that have come out, since I have seen so few of them. Instead, this is the “best films Aaron has seen in 2007.” Thanks in no small part to the Quincy Movie Nights, there have been plenty of good films to consider. After much thought, I have chosen a trifecta of winners to share the title.



The first of these films, Juno, is still playing in theaters. Jason Reitman’s story of a pregnant high school student - a sort of wise fool surrounded by adults who do not always get it - began as a limited release, but quickly moved to theaters everywhere. And it is easy to see why. The audience with which I saw it was laughing out loud and clearly enjoying the humorous moments; but when the film got serious, you could have heard a pin drop. The story is well written, with several neat turns and reversals; it is well acted, with a first rate performance by Ellen Page in the title role; it is beautifully shot; and it has a quality musical score. Finally, the film is grounded on solid philosophical and moral principles. It does not bill itself as “pro-life” or “family-friendly” and does not assault its viewer with kitch messages. Indeed, the film is very much a creature of the modern age, frankly acknowledging the reality of family life in 21st century America. But it is also a film that understands and speaks to the fundamental importance of human dignity, the value of parenting and the importance of committed relationships.



In America (2003) is the story of a modern Irish family moving to New York City and struggling along with financial and family issues. Normally a film with that description would not pique my interest; it sounds like it would either be pathetically cheesy or terribly depressing. But as Nathan (not exactly the house optimist) explained, “this is a feel-good movie I can get behind.” Unlike most films of the feel-good genre, In America is neither predictable nor poorly acted; instead, it is a highly believable story. (This is probably due, in large part, to the fact that the script was written by a real family, based on their actual experience.) In addition, the story is artfully constructed, with several thoughtful sub-themes weaving through the story of the family’s struggles.



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) can be a confusing film. But fear not; the confusion is artfully handled, complementing the story, instead of leaving the viewer woefully confused. Michel Gondry’s story of love, loss and memory, like Juno and In America, avoids the formulaic, with several enjoyable plot turns and a nice interweaving of the main plot line and a subplot. Though I have only seen the film once, I have little doubt that a second viewing would reveal a wealth of carefully thought out details. But in addition to its narrative qualities (which are many), Eternal Sunshine is a beautiful piece of art. Much of the story is set in the world of memory and Gondry has done an excellent job of imaging what that might look like. (Thankfully, this does not include massive amounts of computer animation that tax the viewer’s suspended disbelief.)

There were any number of honorable mentions, but their ranks are far too many to actually mention them. Perhaps another blog post...

Bell---eh...

Disclaimer: It bears repeating that not all Quincy House residents, alumni, friends, sponsors, fans, well-wishers, etc., share the opinions of this post's author.

Barbara Nicolosi has some interesting thoughts on the movie Bella here. She describes much of what I had feared would be the case, and it fits with what I've been hearing from friends who have seen the movie.

I think the Bella phenomenon is another case of Calvinist-influences in our culture confusing a lot of Catholics as to what the relationship between the True and the Beautiful is. Producing a film with an aim of conveying the truth does not guarantee that the film will be beautiful; and furthermore, there's a way in which ugly art lies (and this is more than a simple matter of poor execution causing ambiguity), but that's another post...

The Human Experience

It seems there are a spate of Catholic movies being made these days; I recently received an email recommend for this one.

In terms of genre it looks to be rather interesting, something that sort of fits in the category of "documentary" but really pushes the boundaries of that label in a way that began only a few years ago.

To be honest, the trailer seemed a little bit over the top, playing up the evil and inhumanity in the world in a way that, while not strictly false, came off flat. Nevertheless, that could just be the trailer. A more interesting question might be that of audience: Who is this film intended for? Because - in spite of the name, The Human Experience - the film clearly takes a Christian, even Catholic view of the world. I happen to share such a world-view, but I wonder how marketable such a film is. If they're hoping for a broad market appeal, they may have shot themselves in the foot by dropping a few too many Christian images, using too much Christian language. Still, the very fact of the film's title suggests that they understand the basic idea behind a broad appeal: it has to be on the basis of that which all men share, namely the human experience.

On the other hand, perhaps the film is really only designed for consumption by Christians. And maybe that's not such a bad thing. While the goal these days is usually to make blockbuster films that will convert the whole world, a more limited task may be called for. After all, a film that specifically aimed at touching a Christian audience and encouraged them to live out their faith in a more vibrant way would have the virtue of being able to focus on doing a single thing and doing it well. Such a film would be addressing an audience which speaks the same language as its producers, the language of Christian faith. That's not a recipe for reaching the masses, but it might be just the sort of thing someone should do.

What's this movie actually about...?

"Very Catholic." "Very pro-life." In spite of the intense media blitz, that's all I've really heard about the film Bella which - if you didn't know - comes out tomorrow. So I sat down and watched the trailer this morning. In the interest of adding some substance to all the noise, I figured I'd share it with you, readers of the Quincy House Blog.

Human tragedy and inhuman acts

Can bimbos become Bernhardts? A gasp of consternation went out from cinemagoers on first learning that the lead role in A Mighty Heart, the screen adaptation of Mariane Pearl’s memoir of her husband Daniel’s kidnapping and killing, would be played by Angelina Jolie. Lara Croft in a reality-based political tragedy? Tinseltown’s top siren, the much-buzzed diva with the hornet-stung lips, as the widow of a beheading that set the benchmark for barbarity in an early chapter of present-day jihad?

Rest reassured. That Jolie can act is proved by this moving and modulated performance, as the woman whose husband became a casualty on the motoring map towards Middle East conflict resolution. Jolie’s French accent is a convincing start; the curly black wig and brown contact lenses help; the immersion in the role’s emotions is the clincher, an empathy possibly helped by the actress’s own friendship, preceding the film, with Mariane Pearl.

Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo, The Road to Guantanamo) is a savvy guide through the political jungle. Here he makes a virtue of information overload. Too many facts, not too few, feed this drama and its frustrations. The rumour mill, the real news, the disinformation of officials: Mariane tries to connect the dots on the chaotic wall chart in her home, but their prolixity keeps defeating her.

What is knowledge anyway? the film asks. Is it the “knowledge” of one character here, a Zionist-conspiracy theorist, that 4,000 Jews who normally worked in the Twin Towers did not turn up there on September 11? Is it the facts or half-facts gouged from men under torture (an instrument of persuasion used here by both sides)? Is it the news stories filed every day under restraints, constraints or, just as bad, the propagandist colouring of a writer and his newspaper?

Winterbottom and scenarist John Orloff resist an enactment of Daniel Pearl’s own ordeal. That would be their colouring-in of history. Instead the Wall Street Journal reporter, played by Dan Futterman, is seen mostly in flashbacks. These become poignant memory-retrievals for Mariane as she learns, scene by scene, to convert hope to realistic despair.

Could the story have been given a bigger acoustic? Should it have dared to give offence to westerners by letting the terrorists articulate, at greater length, their cause? (The Road to Guantanamo allowed Islam its say.) Probably not. The world is still too young to treat Pearl’s death as anything but the inhuman act that to feeling human beings it was. The film opts to depict a single but reverberant tragedy and does so with force, skill and a memorable central performance.

-Nigel Andrews, FT

Humidity, Sunshine, and Lawn Chairs

At Quincy we had a successful first movie on the lawn last night. We were able to hang an 8ft screen from the back porch, and in spite the blistering humidity the movie was quite enjoyable. We watched Little Miss Sunshine, the penultimate film in the Quincy Summer Movie and Discussion series. Thanks to everyone who came and participated. The discussion was very lively, and I for one feel like I have a much better grasp of the film.

Building the Cathedral - Some More Bergman

Today I was continuing to ponder my encounter with Bergman, and his films, especially on the question of doubt. As I had mentioned earlier, his movies so profoundly capture the precarious position of modern man that even if they are uncomfortable it is very easy to identify with them.

I came across this quote from the Four Screenplays of Ingmar Bergman (1960), and I must say that if you have ever enjoyed one of his movies, or if you have ever thought about the relationship of art to faith in a post-modern context, take a moment and look it over. Bergman gives a fascinating view in to the modern cult of the artist that seems to have been so prevalent through much of the 20th century.

It is my opinion that art lost its basic creative drive the moment it was separated from worship. It severed an umbilical cord and now lives its own sterile life, generating and degenerating itself.

People ask what are my intentions with my films — my aims. It is a difficult and dangerous question, and I usually give an evasive answer: I try to tell the truth about the human condition, the truth as I see it. This answer seems to satisfy everyone, but it is not quite correct. I prefer to describe what I would like my aim to be. There is an old story of how the cathedral of Chartres was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Then thousands of people came from all points of the compass, like a giant procession of ants, and together they began to rebuild the cathedral on its old site. They worked until the building was completed — master builders, artists, labourers, clowns, noblemen, priests, burghers. But they all remained anonymous, and no one knows to this day who built the cathedral of Chartres.

Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral.

Regardless of my own beliefs and my own doubts, which are unimportant in this connection, it is my opinion that art lost its basic creative drive the moment it was separated from worship. It severed an umbilical cord and now lives its own sterile life, generating and degenerating itself. In former days the artist remained unknown and his work was to the glory of God. He lived and died without being more or less important than other artisans; 'eternal values,' 'immortality' and 'masterpiece' were terms not applicable in his case. The ability to create was a gift. In such a world flourished invulnerable assurance and natural humility. Today the individual has become the highest form and the greatest bane of artistic creation.

The smallest wound or pain of the ego is examined under a microscope as if it were of eternal importance. The artist considers his isolation, his subjectivity, his individualism almost holy. Thus we finally gather in one large pen, where we stand and bleat about our loneliness without listening to each other and without realizing that we are smothering each other to death. The individualists stare into each other's eyes and yet deny the existence of each other.

We walk in circles, so limited by our own anxieties that we can no longer distinguish between true and false, between the gangster's whim and the purest ideal. Thus if I am asked what I would like the general purpose of my films to be, I would reply that I want to be one of the artists in the cathedral on the great plain. I want to make a dragon's head, an angel, a devil — or perhaps a saint — out of stone. It does not matter which; it is the sense of satisfaction that counts.

Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral.

Ingmar Bergman 1918 - 2007

Today Swedish director Ingmar Bergman passed away. The Quincy House offers their prayers for the repose of his soul.

He will be long remembered.

Wait Until Dark

This coming Monday (July 30th) the summer Screen on the Green event in DC will be showing Wait Until Dark (1967), starring Audrey Hepburn, who was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance.

The film is based on the play of the same name, by Frederick Knott. The story revolves around a blind housewife, Susy Hendrix, and the goons who desperately want a doll that has serendipitously ended up in her house. A battle of wits ensues between the two parties.

While the film ranked tenth on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movies, the piece is not a stock horror film. It is perhaps best described as a psycho-thriller in the literal sense that it engages the mind. When I first saw Wait Until Dark four years ago, I was very impressed by the way in which director Terence Young had managed to draw his audience into the mindset of the film's protagonist, even while seeing what she cannot see.

The film begins at sunset (around 8:25 PM) on the National Mall between 4th and 7th Streets and is 107 minutes long. I'll be there, probably having a picnic dinner, after stopping by the Sackler Gallery.

Winter Light in the Summer

Last night we had the second movie screening in our summer movie series. We watched Winter Light(Nattvardsgästerna) by Ingmar Bergman. I think that it is my favorite Bergman movie, and one of perhaps my all-time favorites.

The starkness of the cinematography brings to the forefront the intense struggle which is happening within the characters.

I was reminded of a quote from Ratzinger's book Introduction to Christianity that floored me the first time I read it.

Fastened to the cross - with the cross fastened to nothing, drifting over the abyss. The situation for the contemporary believer could hardly have been more accurately and impressivley described. Only a loose plank bobbing over the void seems to hold him up, and it looks as if he must eventually sink. Only a loose plank connects him to God, though certainly it connects him inescapably, and in the last analysis he knows that this wood is stronger than the void that seethes beneath him and remains nevertheless the really threatening force in his day-to-day life. (p44)

I think that this movie really captures the heart of this modern difficulty. While it may not end up on the side of belief in the end, its beauty and honesty make Bergman's film a must see.

For those interested and in town, next week we will be taking a break from the subtitles and watching Rushmore. It is something a little lighter but still great and worthy of discussion.

Movie Night @ Quincy & Danielson: A Family Movie

Last night we had a great kickoff to the Quincy Summer Movie evenings. We watched a fascinating documentary entitled Danielson: A Family Movie. The documentary has a slightly campy feel to it and at times it does feel like watching the home movies of a large family that could have lived down the street from you. At the same time it really raised some great questions and discussion about Christianity and art.

The overarching impression was from the discussion seemed to be that even though Daniel Smith may have a less than well developed theology, his honest quest for the truth in his art makes him really stand out.

While not everyone maybe ready to rush out and buy Danielson CD's, this movie gives me a lot of hope. It reminds me that there are authentic Christian artists out there, in spite of all the charlatans who make Christianity and authenticity seem incompatible. there
are men and women out there working for the glory of God and being recognized by the culture. Perhaps they are not being recognized in a big flashy way, but none the less the truth of their hope shines through the work and those seeking after the good recognize it.

For some further info check out Daniel Smith's interview on WNYC.


Stay tuned next week for Nattvardsgästerna (Winter Light) by Ingmar Bergman. It is a great film. Make it even better by showing up and sharing your thoughts with us.

Ok, for the masses who have been clamoring for a completion of the "Top Ten Gateway Movies" list here it goes...

TO refresh you memory if you don't read the blog regularly, back a few weeks ago I posted a list of the top ten movies that I think can aid the beginning of an appreciation of cinema as an art form (and that are on our shelf at Quincy).

The list was:
10. Napoleon Dynamite
9. Little Miss Sunshine
8. The Station Agent
7. Garden State
6. In America
5. Amelie
4. Rushmore
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. American Splendor
1. La Strada

Last time I wrote up some short thoughts on numbers ten through eight. I have decided that I won't write up all of these movies for two reasons. First, some of the movies you should have heard of, and second, while I appreciate them all, not all of these movies are ones that I personally own, and I don't know of them well enough to really write intelligently on. So, I will be focusing in on the movies that I am most closely acquainted with, and may be a little more obscure.

6. In America

A story of an immigrant family in New York, In America, is really able to take the genera of family drama, and come to a resolution that is both satisfying and lacks the syrupy cheap warm fuzzy feelings that Hollywood can't live without. There are really lots of fascinating aspects that the movie deals with. It addresses questions of grief, nationality, relationship and identity in manner that both makes one think and respond emotionally.

2. American Splendor

One of the most interesting aspects of American Splendor is the way in which it is able to stretch one's conception of techniques that can be used in film to convey a story. The movie is a hybrid between a comic strip, a documentary, and a narrative film. Anyone could just throw different movie styles into a blender and see what comes out, but the genius of this movie is that all of the different techniques are in the service of telling a solid story. The movie is about a real life man, Harvey Pekar, who has a very cynical outlook on his everyday life. He turns to comics as an outlet, or as a way to make sense of it all. However, his comics are deal with his life simply as he sees it. Several aspects of the movie hearken back to the Neorealism movement in Europe in the 1950's, where cinema, and literature were taking a turn to look back at the ordinary circumstances of life, and how to cope with ordinary everydayness.

...

I will save the best for last, both because of time constraints, and because La Strada really deserves its own treatment.

Nathan C.

Top Ten Gateway Movies

Most people don't experience cinema as an art form. However in the 20th century cinema steeped in as a major literary genera which shapes and moves culture. However talking with a cinophile can be intimidating. It is not easy to approach some of the masterworks of film. Analogously if the only books that you are accustomed to reading are trashy romance novels, picking up the Brothers Karmaotzov can be intimidating. It occurred to me at the suggestion of some friends that perhaps a list of "gateway" movies would be useful.

These are all movies from my house library that are a great place to start in film appreciation. It is not an attempt at a canonical list, but a simply a good place to start thinking differently about film and it's possibilities. I have not ranked them in order of worst to best, but rather most accessible to most abstruse.

The Movies:

10. Napoleon Dynamite
9. Little Miss Sunshine
8. The Station Agent
7. Garden State
6. In America
5. Amelie
4. Rushmore
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. American Splendor
1. La Strada

Some Explanation:

10. Napoleon Dynamite

If you haven't heard of Napoleon Dynamite, then shame on you. It's a light comedy which some may argue simply stays on the level of a purely pedestrian movie. However, one of the really valuable things to note here is that the movie defies so many conventions of what is necessary for a film to work. No multi-million dollar budget, no obligatory sexual encounter, no parading of the "beautiful people", just a simple and very funny movie.

9. Little Miss Sunshine

The darling movie of 2006, Little Miss Sunshine deservedly won the Oscar for best screen play. This movie is also a comedy that earns its laughs. The characters interactions and smart but real in a way that few Hollywood studios dare to risk these days. It is a great combination of a family drama and comedy.

8. The Station Agent

Another low budget movie that simply relies on great story telling to get its point across. The Station Agent is the first movie I have seen staring a person with dwarfism that treats its protagonist as a complex human being. It is a quiet movie that really earns its laughs. A comedy that deals with issues of friendship, trust, loss and trains, this movie is really original.


(It's getting late out here on the east coast. More to come...)