As the time for Film of the Year 2012 fast approaches, there's already been some changes. Some flicks have been removed from the Shortlist, some added in. Going into detail would reveal too much. I think its time to look back at the Film of the Year's past winners, right back to 2003 when it first began....

2003

Winner: Lost in Translation
It was a decent year for films, with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King  and Good Bye Lenin! in the mix too, but ultimately This Tokyo-set tale wins out. A great, moving, funny story, with just the right biter sweet tone. It set up Scarlett with a long and lucrative fiml career, but in her quiet, understated role her, its impossible not to fall in love with her.
The Runner Up was oddball Sci-Fi drama The Big Empty. A very difficult film to describe, its about an out of work actor who ends up caught in some sort of alien related cult gathering in the desert. It has to be watched to be properly understood, but Favreau is endearing, and Kelsey Grammar is hilarious.

2004

Winner: The Terminal
I've had a soft-spot for his film the moment I saw it, and I can't believe 8 years have passed since it was released. Its funny, and touching, and kooky, and its all about characters. Spielberg's production is fantastic, and anyone would genuinely believe it was filmed in a real airport, and not a film studio. Hanks carries his relatively unbelievably character across so well, that you genuinely care for him.
The Runner Up was I Heart Huckabees, an existential comedy drama and a unique blend of elements I've not seen replicated since. Its a film which seems slight and lacking in depth, but once its finished you realise, it threw in some seriously big ideas. Garden State came close, but ultimately it just wasn't up to the competition

2005

Winner: Sin City.
Quite a mainstream choice, but at the time, the visuals were amazing, and the sense of style had never been seen before. A collection of low-life neo-noir stories, coupled with pithy dialogue and great action scenes, it was an instant classic.
The Runner Up was an unusually low-key choice, Nicole Kidman's The Interpreter. It wasn't a flashy story but that was its beauty. It was claustrophobic, and told the story of a quiet conspiracy most people had forgotten about or were uninterested in


2006

Winner: Lady in the water
2006 was a great year for films. There was Batman Begins [though some would put it in 2005], which began the whole Dark Reboot trend we see today. Nacho Libre was a lowbrow slapstick which somehow ended up being far more than the sum of its parts, the setting and story lending it an unusual poignancy. The Lady in the Water ended up wining out however, because it had the X factor. In that low key, condo block, the simple people we see somehow make the story feel truer. The completely original fairy tale and the brilliant cinematography make everything feel magical, and Dallas Howard and Giamatti are both as excellent as always.
The Runner Up was Stick It, a tale of a rebellious girl forced into competing in a gymnastics competition. It was a close call with the more critically acceptable Pan's Labyrinth, and of all the films on the list, this is the only one I've ever considered retroactively changing. Ultimately though, Pan was a bit dreary and depressing for my taste. Stick It may seem like a gymnastics Bring it On, but gone is most of the teen silliness, and the romcom subplots. The focus is squarely on the main character, the struggles in her past, and the difficulty of the task ahead of her, all filmed in a snappy, stylistic manner.


2007

Winner: Ratatouille
 I know its a kids cartoon and it doesn't have the critical acclaim expected of the FOTY, but if you haven't seen it, I recommend it, and if you have, I urge you to watch it again. Its a sweet and funny story, full of heart and warmth, and with a tight plot and themes that permeate throughout. Not a single frame is wasted. To my eye, this is the pinnacle of Pixar
The Runner Up is Sunshine, which was a tough call. I absolutely adored Stardust, but ultimately I think there was something about it which couldn't quite escape its own formula, and whilst Hot Rod was very funny, it just wasn't FOTY material. Sunshine won out in the end, the story of a spaceship and crew flying toward a dying sun in the hope of kick starting it and saving the future of the earth. It has a slower pace which nicely explores the characters and the state of being on a long-haul, isolated journey. Some scenes are reminiscent of Alien, but the film goes pear shaped in its horror-schlock third act, undoing most of the previous good work

2008

Winner: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Kat Dennings is perfectly cast in this film about one long night in new york as a bunch of  teens scourer the city for a secret rock gig. Its so hip and cool it makes you wish you were young again, and pine for your own past glory days. Michael Cera, who only seems to ever play Michael Cera, gets it right as well
The Runner Up Was The Wrestler. A complex film about a former wrestling champion whose best days are behind him, having to face his advancing age and lowly mediocrity . Its not as bleak as it sounds though, and the excellent across the board, making for an excellent study in male machismo, faded dreams, and living in the past

2009

Winner: Adventureland
I've always had a soft spot for coming of age stories and this one gets the mix of humour, angst, love and frustration dead on. There is something bittersweet and ponderous about this story of a teen's summer spent working at an amusement park, which makes it excellent for watching again and again
The Runner Up was a tough choice, with Up in the Air, very very narrowly beating out the Hong Kong-set superhumans action-drama Push. Reitman's tale of a loner who flies from city to city firing people, finally making a human connection, is sharp and witty, and classy throughout. Its the sort of role Clooney could play in his sleep,and some schmaltz aside, the general message of the film is a positive one.

2010

Winner: Monsters
A very simple sci-fi film, shot on a shoe strong budget, its a romantic drama of sorts, as a journalist brings his boss's daughter back from an alien infected Mexica across to the US. Considering the non-existent budget, it looks amazing, and hauntingly realistic. A slow-burner, but one which builds the emotion slowly, and ends up being quite beautiful.
The Runner Up was The Winning Season. Some sources say this was 2009, others 2010. I guess there's some discrepancy with which cut is used etc, but I'm going with 2010. Its a typical story found in any formula sports drama, but the great thing is the way there is no majesty whatsoever shown of the game. The focus is on the players, and what this games, and on the down-on-his-luck coach who finds this crappy job he didn't wants ends up transforming his life. Its also very funny, and Sam Rockwell and Emma Roberts shine. The beautifully filmed Somewhere was also considered, but ultimately the tale of a minor celebrity facing boredom with his life, showed us a little too much repetition and mundanity in his life, and I became bored as well.

2011

Winner: Crazy Stupid Love
There was some scoffing and lambasting at the decision to make this 201's film on the year, when other critical darlings like Another Earth, Drive, The Tree of Life, The Ides of March etc were all floating around. In truth it was a very good year for films,  and while this is one of the most mainstream choices so far, there's a simple reason: Its an excellent film. It may look and feel like a basic Romcom, but this Little tale of how love works in various, confusing ways, is intricately plotted, and strikes an almost pitch perfect tone (the final  high school speech scene being an exception). Its is frequently and intensely hilarious, and there is a real emotional punch to the story of a man comming to grips with middle age and the disolution of his marriage. Everyone who watches it can identify with someone in it, and you have to be hard faced not to walk away having strong feels for all the characters involved.
The Runner Up was another commercial one: Super 8. What I love about this film was that it was simple, old-school film making, drawing up memories of early Speilberg. It tells the story of children in a Small town who get caught up in an alien conspiracy. The young cast are great, and Elle Fanning proves herself yet again as being arguable the better of the Fanning sisters. Its another film that makes you long to be young again, and it manages suspense, horror, comedy and drama nicely. The closing credit sequence is also probably the best I've ever seen.

8 Films inspired by Classic Literature

8. Clueless

This film about a rich, beautiful teenager dabbling in matchmaking and finding herself confused about love in the process, is the film that really launched Alicia Silverstone. It also inspired a passable TV series, but at the heart of its plot, was the 1815 novel Emma, by Jane Austen. Even the writers admit that it was only a loose inspiration.


7. What Love is

Panned on release, this indie release actually has a very good cast to it. Its basically one extended conversation about love, and bears more than a resemblance to Plato's classic musing on love, "The Symposium"


6. A Knight's Tale

A lowerclassman dupes the world into believing he is a noble, so that he can joust his way into the pants of his beloved, and beat the nobleman who once mocked him. Its a tale of Knights and gladiatorial spectacles, with an MTV twist and dollops of hit and miss humour. Surprisingly, it is based (very) loosely on The Knights Tale from The Canterbery Tales


5. O

A High school adaptation of Othello, this one sticks fairly close to the original plot, and unlike most of the other teen films of its type is placed deadpan without laughs, as the source material dictates. Look out especially for Julia Stiles in one of her better roles

4. Forbidden Planet

This sci-fi classic gave us Robby the Robot, and a chance to see Leslie Nielson in an early, non-comedy role. It even had a chain store named after it, but funnily enough, it was based on Shakespeare's The Tempest

3. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Taking its title from Sullivan's travels, this is a depression era comedy about 3 escaped convicts on the long road to a soon-to-expire treasure. Despite the rural Mississippi setting, the film is based on an old Greek text, Homer’s Odyssey.

2. 10 Things I Hate About You

Stiles and Ledger again, this time joined by Alex Mack in a High school romcom retelling of the taming of the shrew. I have a soft spot for this film, its sweet and funny and oddly witty, but the less said about the TV spin off the better


1. Easy A

This is a great throwback to the teen films of old, and features the always delightful Emma Stone. The plot is a very loose, modern reworking of The Scarlet Letter, the book itself even being mentioned in the film

Racism in the Star Wars Universe

With the announcement that Carrie Fischer is reprising her role in the upcoming Star Wars 7, lets take a look back at some of the accusations of alleged racism which has spread into the sprawling sci-fi saga.
Ethnic accents and stereotypes are featured in several films, but the heat tends to focus most often on The Phantom Menace.

Nute Gunray

Firstly we have the Neimoidian Viceroy and his cronies on the trade federation, who have thick Chinese accents and seem like caricatures of crafty Asian bootleggers. They are portrayed as untrustworthy, dishonourable cowards

Queen of Naboo

Onwards to Naboo and despite her Japanese look, the fake Queen Amidala prattles away with a clipped British accent, embodying all the cliches of stuffiness associated. Apparently that's just how English people behave.


Watto

Over to Tatooine and we have Watto, a local owner of a parts shop. He speaks with a typical, strong Yiddish accent, and in Jew-bashingly bad taste, he has a long-nose and is so greedy and obsessed with money that even the Jedi mind trick doesn't work.



Jabba the Hutt

Jabba lives in a palace in the middle of a desert. He's fat, lazy, living off ill-gotten wealth, and is fanned day and night by skimpily clad women. Any similarities to Middle eastern Sultans and royals is purely co-incidental...allegedly

Admiral Ackbar

The Admiral was the one who headed the rebel  fleet in the attack on the second Death Star. He only realises it's a trap at the last minute, and spectacular botches up the assault. Its only due to the work of Luke and co on the ground that his competence is exonerated. The name may not be spelt Akbar, but surely its too close to be a similarity. The Incompetent leader is a Muslim.

Jar Jar Binks

But we've saved the best for last... Step forward Jar Jar Binks. Whilst supposedly a Gungan alien, one would be forgiven for thinking he was Jamaican, so strong is the West Indian Accent and dreadlocks. Add to the he has a large butt, and is generally a slow, dim-witted clown, and the comparison is far from flattering.

Jango Fett

Fett is a bounty hunter, and ends up being the clone behind every single storm trooper. That's literally the baddest of the bad...and lo and behold, he's played by Māori actor Temuera Morrison

Lando

Lando Calrissian is supposed to be one of Han's oldest friends, and it seems he's the only black person working for the good guys. So what does he do? He turns around and betrays his friends at Cloud City.The Black guy ends up a traitor..read into it what you will.

It wasn't until later on that Sammy L Jackson's place on the Jedi Council helped to reset this balance

List of Jack Ryans

With Skyfall still burning across cinema screens, the temptation to do a list of best Bonds is quite high. But that would be too easy, and you, my loyal readers, deserve better. So here instead, is a list of the actors who have played a slightly less popular literary hero: Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan

Name: Ben Affleck
Film: The Sum of All Fears

Affleck is on of those actors I don't find particularly endearing or affable, and this film did little to warm me to him. The bomb going off half way through the film was unexpected, but as a character, Affleck never really brought Jack to life. See what I did there? A little wordplay

Name: Alec Baldwin
Film: The Hunt for Red October

This one is certainly a classic film, and Balwdwin is pretty darn good, but in a film with the great Sean Connery, he was never ever going to be the star. Baldwin's Ryan isn't flashy or gimmicky, but he is efficiently convincing.

Name: Harrison Ford
Films: Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger

If there is one man synonymous with Jack Ryan, its Ford. He creates that perfect mix of seasoned agent, action hero and deep thinker, and it shows, as he is the only man to ever play the character twice


Honourable mention goes to....
Name:Chris Pine
Film: Jack Ryan

Though it hasn't been released yet, and wont be until 2013, there is already some buzz around it. I like Chris Pine, and I think in this type of role, he could add some real charisma. I guess we'll have to wait and see

TV Shows like Buffy aka Alternatives to Buffy

When Empire placed Buffy the Vampire Slayer at number one on their list of top TV shows, it was met with many a facepalm, myself included. But a recent re-watch has made me realise what an excellent show it was. Not top position mind you, but good very good nonetheless. It helped inspire a whole TV genre as we know it. So If you've just finished Buffy, and are jonesing for something similar, read on...

Angel

Obviously, first up we have the Buffy Spin-off Angel. There are many fans that never warmed to this show, sticking with Buffy to the end and then making a clean break from the Buffyverse. There are certainly difference: The high school setting is gone, and the soapy, romance element is substantially muted, but many of these are for the better. Buffy was about a young girl trying to lead a normal life whilst simultaneously competing with an overwhelming destiny which often felt like a burden. Angel is more about redemption, and atoning for the sins of the past. Its darker, and bleaker, but the trademark Buffy-style dialogue, wit and humour are all there. Its a bit like Buffy for grown-ups. A lot of fans were put off by the first series, which was much more violent, and had more of a noir-detective vibe. I personally liked it, but regardless, push on and in the subsequent seasons, the show becomes more and more like its sibling, especially the final season 5. In conclusion, Angel is a 100% necessary watch


Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil

This is a really bizarre show. Its set in high school and features a satanic book, which can be used to cast spells. The book ends up in the possession of various students in episode, who use spells for personal gain which invariably backfire. Todd and his crew of friends clean up these messes, whilst trying to destroy the book [although it flies away after each spell, which makes it tricky]. It features much more violence and bloodshed than Buffy, and there also isn't as much of a running story arch. The show is more of a horror comedy than a drama like Buffy, and is much much ruder. There is a profanity-free version they produce as well though, for before the watershed. And you have love a random small rile from Jason Mewes (Jay from Jay and Silent Bob)

Reaper

Reaper features an underachiever working in a bargain superstore, whose parents sold his soul to the devil. Now he's contractually bound to track down and return, escaped souls from hell, all with the help of his dimwitted best friends and coworkers. This one is squarely focused on being a comedy, and it takes a while for a series long thread to become apparent. The drama isn't great but Tyler Labine's Burt 'Sock' Wysocki is truly hilarious, and Missy Peregrym is crazy hot. Ray Wise rounds things out nicely as the suave, sharp-suited Devil. The second series was getting really good before it was abruptly cancelled. Typical.

Charmed

A bit more girly than Buffy, this is a show about three sisters who find out they are witches, and have a responsibility to find and stop various monsters and bad guys. The show is very Buffy-like in its monster of the week episodes, which give way to longer plot threads involving the human (read: relationship) drama of the main characters. It really picks up pace as the show progresses, although the last season is a little lacklustre. If you liked Buffy, this is well worth a look.

Supernatural

Two brothers drive across America hunting monsters. To say any more might give too much away. The show started out with Monster-of-the-Week Origins, but quickly moved onto a long and sprawling plot of death, destruction and conspiracy, which deeply draws you in. Its not profane, but it is graphically violent, and and can also be very funny and tongue-in-cheek. Characters are at the heart of the show, and its amazing that its in its 8th season but still only features 2 [maybe 3] main characters. It's a bit like Buffy [more like Angel] but with a lot of the high school drama/silliness and slayer slang ditched. Definitely watch this.

Little known Principals and Laws of TV/Film

When TV geeks and nerds talk about TV and films, sometimes they'll slip in little terms for common principals, laws, effects and other trivia. Some of these started out as industry terms others as Internet memes, and some have been coined by critics, but they are all now collectively considered 'TV Tropes'. Here is a simple list of the most common ones, though an entire, exhaustive database has been archived at the fantastic site TVtropes.org

The Stormtrooper Effect

This is the phenomenon that occurs in films with allegedly expert snipers, who it turns out can't hit a barn with a bazooka. Its named after the Stormtroopers from Star Wars, who are mentioned several times as expert marksmen, yet never seem to hit anything. My favourite example is in Behind Enemy Lines, where Owen Wilson is seemingly chased by the world's worst sniper

Redshirts

This is the name given to the ancillary character in a film or TV episode, whose only purpose is to get captured or killed. The character has no back story and usually isn't even afforded a name. The convention is named based on episodes of Star Trek The Original Series, where the random person who died was always in a red uniform. The best reference to this is found in Galaxy Quest, where Sam Rockwell's character is a red shirt who is generically called "Guy".

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome

character suddenly stops appearing without formally being written out of the show, and is never mentioned again. The term comes from the above scenario occurring to Ritchie Cunningham's brother on Happy Days. Film examples are less common, but check our Toby Wiseau's "The Room". In the second half, the alleged best friend simply vanishes

The Other Darrin

This is the act of replacing the actor who plays a character with someone entirely different, as if nothing has happened. It comes
from Dick York replacing Dick Sargent as Darrin in Bewitched, and other examples are littered everywhere from Sunset Beach to the much celebrated The Dark Knight

Jumping the Shark

Happy Days strikes again! Jumping the Shark comes from an episode in series five, where the Fonz is involved in doing a water ski jump over a live shark. It was originally used to describe when a program becomes ridiculous and unrealistic because the writers have run out of fresh ideas, but has since taken on a more general definition, as the point where a quality show stops being any good and starts sucking. Which brings us to...

Nuke the Fridge

This one comes from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, specifically the scene where Jones survives a nuclear explosion by hiding inside a refrigerator. In many respects it now replaces the original meaning of Jump the Shark, ie the point where a drama becomes too ludicrous and unrealistic to take seriously anymore

Hanging a Lantern/Lampshading

This is a relatively newer Hollywood term. When something in the plot is stupid, ridiculous or non-sensical, a character often mentions or draws attention to this very fact ie. they hang a lampshade on it. The idea is to let the audience know you're aware of the absurdity, everyone acknowledges it, has a laugh and moves on. Its pretty stupid, but surprisingly common. Lost used this a lot, and its used to comedic effect in the 200th episode of Stargate SG1

Mook Chivalry

This term is essentially the idea that when a group of bad guys attack, they do so one at a time. Its so common now, we almost don't notice, but it was spoofed brilliantly in Austin Powers. My main man Roger Ebert refers to it as the one-at-a-time attack rule

Inverse Ninja Law
The  Inverse Ninja Law, along with  Mook Chivalry and  The Stormtrooper Effect, are collectively called the Principles of Evil Marksmanship.
The  Inverse Ninja Law is, generically speaking, the term used to explain how allegedly skilled and trained Ninjas, or indeed other warriors, are actually terrible in combat and easily defeated. The larger a group of these advanced and skilled warriors is, the more rubbish they become, serving as little more than cannon fodder. A good example is the hordes of secret warriors in The Mummy

Timestamp!

Just a quick post to say that the Time Zone has finally been corrected, so the posts should now show they are published at the correct time. It was an easy fix, I've just been too lazy this whole time to do it!