David Lee Films

The Top 10 Films of 2016: Part 2

5.  The Wailing 

The best surprise of the year.

Hilarious, frightening, mythical, and absurd, The Wailing represents all that is great about Korean New Wave.

 

4.  Moonlight

A story about looking your whole life, and never being able to find yourself.  At times more real, more surreal, and more intimate than life itself, Moonlight’s beauty lies beneath it’s scars.

 

3.  La La Land

La La Land reminds you what it’s like to be enthralled, it reminds you how to dream, and it reminds you that at times, everyone can feel alone.  By far the most entertaining film of the year, it’s full of spectacle and wonder not seen in an age.

 

2.  Arrival 

A true science-fiction film.  First contact.  A film that makes you think.  A film that asks questions.

It’s a film that at times feels like 2001, at times like Memento, but with a bit more beauty.  A touch of grace.  A true science-fiction film, with heart.  Rare to see.

 

1.  Silence

Silence is a film that can awaken your spirituality, make you question your beliefs, and show you the true meaning of tolerance.  It is a film that first tests the faith of it’s characters, and then you as an onlooker.

Though many of this year’s films were truly great, there are some that reach another level.  A deeper level of consciousness and vulnerability, where one can be shaken and shattered.  Few films reach this level, and I believe Silence is one of them.

The Top 10 Films of 2016: Part 1

10.  Toni Erdmann

Toni Erdmann is a film where you can learn a lot about yourself.  A film that’s delightfully bizarre, yet delightfully real.

It’s a film that teaches you about putting life in perspective.  To find joy, or humor in the everyday. How to balance the lighter moments in life, with the dark.  And the absurdity of it all.

 

9.  OJ Simpson: Made in America

Incredibly thorough, both in it’s breadth of knowledge and sharp historical perspective.  A must-see documentary.

 

8.  Manchester by the Sea

A truly complete film.  No gimmicks, just reality.  A film that allows Casey Affleck to run the entire gamut as an actor, to show completeness.  And he does a fine job doing so.

 

7.  Lion

Both joyous and heartbreaking, with some huge performances from a talented cast.  Sometimes a film can be a reflection of life, mirroring back at us.

 

6.  The Witch

Haunting, brooding, and in complete control.  Kubrickian is one of the greatest compliments you can bestow upon a film.

Anya Taylor-Joy is a star in the making, possessing innocence, poise and depth far beyond her years.

Carrie Fisher

leia_left

Carrie Fisher (1956-2016)

I remember always being struck by Leia.  Not in the obvious, crush sort-of way, but being struck by her character, her personality.

She was bold.  Witty.  She had an air of no fucks given, but still managed to maintain a sense of poise, a sense of grace.  A royal charm.

She’s one of few female characters as strong, if not stronger than her male counterparts, the likes of Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker.  And because of Star Wars, it was always easier for me to believe in strong female characters on the big screen.

So when I think of Carrie Fisher, I don’t think of the real Carrie Fisher, who was brilliant in her own right. I think of Leia.  How much of a force she was, how much of a force she became, and how much of a force she remains for generations to come.

Nas + Tim’s Engagement

 

The Surprise Proposal:

Flashback to 3 months ago:  Tim tells me that he’s planning on proposing to his long-time girlfriend Nas, and that he wanted it to be a surprise and to have us film it.

I had met Nas a while back at a Halloween party, where she and Tim had dressed up as the couple from Up! to relative perfection.

Nas + Tim - The Couple from Up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They struck me as an awesome couple.  The kind of people who really complemented each other, had fun and laughed, and brought out the best in one another.  So when Tim had mentioned that he wanted to propose to her and have it be a surprise, I had a feeling that it could be something special.  Nas and Tim had enjoyed some of Adam Schwartz and I’s previous wedding work, so Tim mapped out an elaborate plan and we finalized the date:  1:00PM on March 12th, a lone Saturday afternoon in the midst of in-climate weather.

The Day Of The Engagement

11:00AM:  I remember Schwartz and I getting some coffee at St. Honore, looking out the window at the rain.  At one point, it was diagonal.  I immediately snuffed the idea in my mind and thought, “This is Portland though, and we were born in the rain.  Anything is possibleeeee (okay, KG…)”  So we stayed positive, finished up our coffee, and headed out to the Rose Gardens.

12:00PM:  (Stream of consciousness:)  “People actually get up on weekends and go walking in the rain?  For fun?  Damn.  Good for them?”

12:30PM:  Incoming and outgoing secret email threads: “Rain seems to be dying down”, “45-minute window”, “Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot”.

1:00PM:  The eagle (eagles?) has landed.  Tim had come up with an elaborate series of “events” for the day, in an effort to misdirect Nas into thinking they were having a lovely spa day, followed by dinner.  Little did she know…

Nas + TimNas + Tim - The NaturalsNas + Tim - Bubbles IncludedNas + Tim - The FinaleThe Finale.

Afterthoughts

Sometimes there are moments in life where everything seems to unfold just the way it should. We had a 45-minute window without rain and everyone hit their mark.  Nas and Tim were pros.  They stayed cool and calm, and were still able to let loose and have a bit of fun.  What a lovely day!

Schwartz in his element (Take 1)In front of the camera: not exactly Schwartz’s forte.

Schwartz in his element (Take 2)Post Wedding Engagement Fried Chicken

The spoils of a rainy day.

Oscars 2016: The Opening Monologue

The Opening Monologue:

Like all great comedians, Chris Rock is an opportunist.  One of the greatest of all time.  And squander, he did not, his opportunity to say what he wanted to say.  And while he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, one must respect the truthfulness of his comedy.

“You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job. So y’all would be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.”

chris_rock_oscars

Back in my day…

Chris Rock is a master of irony.  So undoubtedly, the humor came from not only his words, but also from their context.  Like getting a room full of some of the richest, most well-known white people in the world, to laugh at:

“Because we had real things to protest at the time, you know? We had real things to protest; you know, we’re too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer.”

“You know, when your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary foreign short.”

 

#firstworldblackproblems

And while Rock may have been slightly overzealous in his racial commentary, he was also fairly, an equal-opportunist:

“But I understand, I’m not hating. I understand you mad. Jada’s mad her man Will was not nominated for Concussion.  I get it, I get it.

Tell the truth. I get it, I get it. You get mad — it’s not fair that Will was this good and didn’t get nominated.

Yeah, you’re right. It’s also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for “Wild Wild West.”

 

Is Hollywood racist?

“I’m like, “Mr. President, you see all these writers and producers and actors? They don’t hire black people, and they’re the nicest, white people on earth! They’re liberals! Cheese!”

That’s right. Is Hollywood racist? You’re damn right Hollywood is racist. But it ain’t that racist that you’ve grown accustomed to.

Hollywood is sorority racist.

It’s like, “We like you Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.”

That’s how Hollywood is.

But things are changing. Things are changing.”

Oscars 2016: The Five Best Moments

Tracy Morgan is The Danish Girl (film).

“These Danishes is good, girlllll”

 

ali_g“I know what you was thinking when I walked on.  Here comes another token black presenter.”‘

Chris Rock Oscars 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Rock’s face all night long.  “LET’S GET THAT MONEY”

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga being, Lady Gaga.

giphy (22)
And when you have everything in the world, but your dreams finally come true.

 

Oscars 2016: Nominees & Predictions

Oscar Nominee Predictions:

Without further adieu, here are my thoughts on the Oscar Nominees, and who I think should win (but not necessarily who will win).

I know this won’t be a perfect ballot.  Some of these choices are by gut.  And for some of the others, I want to be proven differently.

the_revenant

Here I stand, I can do no other.

Oscar_Predictions_1 copy Oscar_Predictions_2

Oscars 2016: Words from the Nominees

One of the most important days of the year for the film industry is upon us:  The Academy Awards (predictions here)

So before the night begins, let’s hear some candid excerpts from some of the nominees:

Best_Actor_Nominee

 

 

Best_Actor_Nominee_Bryan Cranston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bryan Cranston: The yearly biopic nominee.  “I’m here because I’m immersive damn it!  Immersive!”

Best_Actor_Nominee_Matt Damon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Damon: “I’m thinking to myself, I’m on Mars, I’m having a good time, everyone loves Matt Damon.  Right guys?”

Best_Actor_Nominee_Michael Fassbender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Fassbender:  “If only I looked more like Ashton Kutcher.”

Best_Actor_Nominee_Leonardo DiCaprio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leonardo DiCaprio (overheard in the Men’s bathroom prior to the show): “I’ve died before and I’ll die again. GIVE ME MY OSCAR”

Best_Actor_Nominee_Eddie Redmayne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eddie Redmayne: “Hello, boys.”