Amazing Year For Movies

Here's some insight into me: I LOVE movies and because I love them so much, I tend to give every movie the benefit of the doubt...initially. Typically, I can find a way to enjoy every movie that I see; search out the positives, the things that a movie does well. I try and look at a movie according to what kind of genre-example its making - if its a horror film, then I look at its skill in terrifying me, or if its a twisty courtroom flick, then how well can it blindside me with its suprises? Sometimes, though, films cannot be defined by their genre, no, sometimes a film can feature such a higher quality of execution; be it writing, directing, acting, or just the ability to entertain, that it immediately becomes a classic.

Now, at first, when I exit a theater, I have my initial reaction, which I usually call my brother with. Nine times out of ten, my initial response is one of overwhelming praise because I simply enjoy going to the movies so much. Its my drug of choice. Pauline Kael called this "getting durnk on movies," which pretty much makes me an alcoholic. So, once I come down from that initial buzz, I think a little more clearly about a movie's true success.

With that out of the way, let met consider that almost every review that I've written so far has been positive. At first, I wondered if that was because I'm so partial to the movie-going experience that it doesn't really matter if the movie's good or not? Then, I realized that filmgoers everywhere might be experiencing something very special this year, something not unlike a phenomenon. Could it be that we are experiencing the GREATEST YEAR for films in quite some time. Perhaps ever? I think there is a strong case to be made here because the quality of the filmmaking that I have seen so far this year has been astounding, and the year is far from over, especially in regard to movies. I've already seen The Bourne Ultimatum, Into The Wild, The Lookout, Knocked Up, The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford, Once, and Eastern Promises. And I know just how much there is to look forward too - notably THERE WILL BE BLOOD, Paul T. Anderson's new film, which some are already calling one of the greatest films ever - even comparing it to Citizen Cane?

I suspect that I may eat my words at the end of year, especially if some of these flicks don't pan out. As it is, though, where we stand right now - this year could be historical.