The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - 5D
GUILTY PLEASURES
T THINGS WE HATE TO LOVE .A

It's so much fun to enjoy things you know you
shouldn't. The art world is full of such guilty
pleasures. Like that DVD of "Purple Rain" you
throw on every now and then, or the stack of
"Weird Al" Yankovic CDs you listen to when no
one's around. Yup - we know about those.
And you know what? It's OK. We understand.
The things most easily enjoyed aren't always
the most respectable. Every once in a while you
" should just swallow your pride and admit it.
In honor of this sentiment, Daily Arts gives you
our own guiltiest pleasures, the stuff so few would
admit to liking. Maybe you shouldn't, either - you
have a reputation to worry about, after all.

DEATH CAB
FOR CUTIE
Ben Gibbard has all the
angst of a 12-year-old girl
with a snaggletooth whose
dog just died and her current
flavor-of-the-week boyfriend
just called things off. But he
does sing about his emotional
issues eloquently, and that's
only half of the enticing ele-
ments surrounding Death
Cab. Their talent for melody
and catchy "bah bahs" some-
how trump lines like "All I see
are dark gray clouds / In the
distance moving closer with
every hour" and "If there's no
one beside you / When your
soul embarks / Then I'll fol-
low you into the dark." Don't
feel bad if someone calls you
out on humming any lines -
just say those damn songs got
stuck in your head and put
your headphones on. Then
quietly enjoy the fluid angst.
MATT EMERY
BARENAKED LADIES
When it comes to juvenile band
names, "Barenaked Ladies" falls
right behind "Butthole Surfers" at
the top of the list. And while BNL's
embarrassing moniker may have
been the reason I became infatu-
ated with them during 5th grade,
somehow their lame, hyper-Cau-
casian adult contemporary has
kept me hanging on ever since.
(OK, even I fall off when they go
Canadian white-boy rap.) But it's
impossible to ignore the strength
in Steven Page's voice, and when
he pours it all into "Brian Wilson,"
"The Old Apartment" or, yes, even
"If I Had $1000000," the enjoy-
ment I receive is more than just the
feeling of nostalgia.
DAVID WA TNICK

"CHARLIE'S ANGELS
FULL THROTTLE"

Watching "Charlie's Angels:
Full Throttle" is like gorging on
candy when no one's watching.
What's the plot? Please, There
might not have even been a script.
All that has to be said is that it's
a nearly two-hour-long parade of
blindingly bright colors, beauti-
ful people in skimpy clothing and
over-the-top explosions. When
Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore
and Lucy Liu hop on stage mid-
movie for a ridiculously prolonged
striptease, it becomes clear the
filmmakers weren't going for
high art.
The film is a curiosity: It simul-
taneously demonstrates why Hol-
lywood should be chastised and
why it should be celebrated. In
other words, it's the definition
of a "guilty pleasure." Savor it -
behind closed doors.
BRANDON CONRADIS
"NAPOLEON DYNAMITE"
This earnestly goofy indie
comedy had the misfortune of
being an unexpected smash hit
upon its release, meaning that
soon everyone from frat boys
to your grandma was wearing
a "Vote for Pedro" T-shirt and
spouting bizarre catchphrases
like "Gosh!" Naturally, the next
step after "popular" is "overrat-
ed," followed closely by "sucks"
- whichis why I nowhave to feel
guilty for enjoying the movie.
But here's the truth: Napoleon
is a legitimately creative, origi-
nal character; the film's cinema-
tography perfectly conveys the
comic desolation of the barren
Idaho plains; and those dance
moves were awesome. Also, Rex
Kwan Do wins every time.
ANDREW LAPIN

"GOSSIP GIRL"
Sex, scandal and underage
debauchery - in prep school
outfits. What's not to love about
"Gossip Girl"? The CW-teen
drama follows the travails of two
oft-feudingUpper EastSide prep
school hotties, played by Blake
Lively and Leighton Meester.
The show has all the elements
of "OC"-inspired trash, includ-
ing murder mysteries, virginal
conquistadors, hormonal teen-
agers, characters who often fall
out of character and an "OMFG"
ad campaign that revels in the
show's bad press for its depic-
tions of underage sex and drug
use. Despite all this, the show
still gets anA+ forentertainment
value and is becoming one of
the most watched shows on the
Internet. It's safe to say that in
spite of its eccentric writing and
vulgarity, "Gossip Girl" will con-
tinue entertaining for a while.
SASHA RESENDE
"DEGRASSI"
You all have a friend who bitches
your ear off about his or her life
problems. And even though you're
sometimes irked by his or her vexa-
tions, part of you enjoys the vicari-
ous thrill of witnessing someone
else's misery. Germans call this
Schadenfreude. Canadians call
it "Degrassi." Imagine 25 friends
like that one, all with emotional
issues - from self-injury to bulinlia
to alcoholism and back again - all
revolving in a fucked-up carousel,
each coming back at just the right
moment with a new hang-up or
foible. You can either disembark
to puke or stay on for the ride.
I've stayed on - for five years and
counting.
MA RK SCHULTZ

"SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN DANCE"
Once you get past the melo-
drama and glitter, "So You Think
You Can Dance" is one of the most
genuinely entertaining and inspi-
rational reality competitions I've
ever seen, and I've seen a lot. The
contestants are extremely tal-
ented and have struggled to make
a career in the fickle industry of
professional dance. They perform
every style, from Krump to Vien-
nese Waltz, often outside their
comfort zones. That's what the
show's all about: Bringing the
vibrant, diverse world of dance
to the masses. Sure, the show
sometimes suffers from "Ameri-
can Idol" cheesiness, but all the
sequins, gimmicks and product
placement are greatly outweighed
by the deeply emotional and tech-
nically proficient dancing it dis-
plays.
JAMIE BLOCK
"OCEAN'S TWELVE" AND
"OCEAN'S THIRTEEN"
It's probable that everyone,
whether he or she wants to
admit it, loves Steven Soder-
bergh's remake of the classic Rat
Pack picture "Ocean's Eleven."
What fewer want to admit is
they actually liked the sequels.
Less coherent narratively? Per-
haps. More self-indulgent? Def-
initely. But with an incredible
soundtrack from David Holmes
and a cast including the likes of
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt
Damon, Don Cheadle and Andy
Garcia, it's simply too appealing
to balk at. I'm sorry, sue me. But
in my book, "Ocean's Twelve"
and "Ocean's Thirteen" occupy
a secret but substantial page.
NOAH DEAN STAHL

GARTH BROOKS
As the official musical
ambassador for the blue-collar
everyman, Garth Brooks has
sold more albums than any sin-
gle human in American histo-
ry (combined, his albums have
gone platinum 128 times). He
can make you laugh ("Friends
in Low Places"), cry ("The
Dance") and sometimes both
at the same time (the uninten-
tional, tragic hilarity of the
video for "Standing Outside
the Fire").
But there was one thing ol'
Garth could never quite do:
look cool. Between his bizarre
cowboy-chic fashion sense and
that wholly baffling "Chris
Gaines" fiasco, there are plen-
ty of reasons why I must seek
some alone time before I can
comfortably fist-pump along
with "Ain't Going Down ('Til
the Sun Comes Up)."
JEFF SANFORD
"WHITE CHICKS"
Don't look atime like that.
Look, the Wayans Brothers should
never be discounted. They created a
benchmark of '90s humor with "In
LivingColor,"and"ScaryMovie"(the
first) was funny as hell, right? Right?
But 2004's "White Chicks" was
met with unsurprising hostility
both critically and commercially.
Brothers Shawn and Marlon play
two FBI agents who disguise them-
selves as two Paris Hilton-esque
girls. Sounds awful, yes, but it's
actually really clever. Seriously.
Think culture clashing meets
fart jokes, and this movie ain't
half bad. And break-dancing com-
bined with bro-bashing is funnier
than you think.
BLAKE GOBLE

"NOT ANOTHER
TEEN MOVIE"

Let's face it: Almost all parody
movies suck. The ever-looming
problem with satire is descend-
ing too far into stupidity. It's at
its best when it seems to really
love its subject. That's why "Not
Another Teen Movie" works so
well. The film pays wonderful
homage to those guilty pleasure
teen comedies - from "She's
All That" to "The Breakfast
Club" - while also showcasing
why they're so loved in the first
place. It's absolutely ridiculous
while simultaneously being out-
rageously brilliant. More impor-
tantly, it's freaking hilarious, and
the more you watch it, the funni-
er it gets. It just goes to show that
a good "Movie" movie can actu-
ally be made.
SHERIJANKELOVITZ
"YOU'VE GOT MAIL"
If you enjoy browsing
through Pottery Barn catalogs
and dreaming of upward mobil-
ity untouched by moral hazard,
you'll love "You've Got Mail."
The story depicts a New York
of unfussy leather armchairs,
gaily dressed children and
holiday food motifs. Yes, it's a
philosophically bovine world,
but it feels so good. Tom Hanks
and Meg Ryan act out a slight-
ly silly but humble courtship.
Greg Kinnear, Dave Chappelle
and Parker Posey are a tease for
indie fans. The soundtrack rec-
ognizes Harry Nilsson's talents
beyond that lime/coconut song.
This is cinema's equivalent of
Thanksgiving leftovers, and I
challenge you to refuse it.
ABIGAIL B. COLODNER

"THE DARK KNIGHT"
Hindsight's a valuable thing,
and there's a reason we all saw
this 11 times. So much has been
said about Christopher Nolan's
revisionist spectacle, but in
short, "The Dark Knight" is
perfect. Perfect in its mix of art
and entertainment; perfect in its
mass appeal and longevity. An
operatic costume tragedy, it's
a money-maker with guts and
brains. It was easily the greatest
film experience of 2008. Forget
the Oscars. In time, this film
will receive the honors it really
deserves.
BLAKE GOBLE
"MAN ON WIRE"
"ManonWire"covers the schem-
ing behind the red-headed French-
man Philippe Petit's infamous walk
between the Twin Towers. It's
funny, endearing and almost poetic
at times. Petit captured the spirit of
the '70s and the film brings to life
the raw emotion behind his feats.
ZMILY BOUDREAU

"IN BRUGES"
Yes, the film is charming to the
extreme. But there's more to "In
Bruges" than inducing chortles as
Colin Farrell's supposedly tough
hitman swears and trudges his way
through afairy tale village. Death is
an ever-present force on this vaca-
tion, and the movie's final act drives
that point home with striking cam-
era work, potboiler suspense and
the mournful, heart-ripping usage
of The Dubliners' song "On Raglan
Road."Asthesecharactersapproach
their harrowing butjjustified conse-
quences, Martin McDonagh's tragi-
comedy approaches greatness.
ANDREW LAPIN

"WALL-E
The term "movie magic" has
been abducted by Disney (a subsid-
iary of Buy n Large) as a corporate
catchphrase. So it's playing into
the palm of their Mickey Mouse
hand to declare this Pixar's sci-fi
robot romance as such. Yet what
other possible response could one
have to seeing the world's most
adorable trash compactor escape
a demolished Earth, sail into the
outer reaches of the galaxy on the
back of a spaceship that holds his
true love and outstretch his arm
to brush Saturn's rings? Very well:
Magical it is.
ANDREWLAPIN
"IRON MAN"
One of the most energetic movies of
theyear,"IronMan"closelyfollowsthe
original conic book source material
with nonstop action and pure, unadul-
terated fun. In a timeof complex philo-
sophical/political distractions, the
film is a refreshing change from the
subliminal subtexts that characterize
so many modern superhero movies.
In the end, the success of the movie is
attributed to the basics: keen attention
to the story and eye-opening and origi-
nal visual effects.
HANS YADAV

Some say the true measure of a great film is how well it stands the test of time. So don't
* believe all those other "Best of 2008" lists that tried to tell you which of last year's movies
were going to last before the year was even over. The Daily Film Staff's top 15 list covers all
the can't-miss films of last year. So without further ado, who wants to see a magic trick?
"MILK" "GRAN TORINO"
To quote Harvey Milk himself, ; Like "The Searchers" for 2008,
"You gotta give 'em hope" - and x A t Clint Eastwood handed in his most
this film certainly takes that to aware and affable performance with
heart. An absorbing look into the u ra: >verfseoTcasors c this contemporary "mid-western."
life of openly gay politician Harvey "THE CURIOUS CASE OF Seldomhas ansold curmudgeonbeen
Milk, "Milk" is the perfect mix of BENJAMIN BUTTON" this likeable. A morality tale about
humor, inspiration and strength. In It speaks to the quality of the traditional values fighting with pro-
the center ofit all is the wonderfully filmswhen its 166-minute running gressive redemption, Eastwood puts
human performance by Sean Penn. time seems to just fly by. "Benja- everything he has learned over the
Years from now, audiences will still min Button" combines stunning course of his career into this film. It
feel this film's poignant message of CGI effects, solid acting and an may be his last performance, and if
tolerance and, yes, hope. intriguingfantasy story to create that's true, he has made his depar-
SHERIJANKELOVITZ one of this year's best-produced ture even harder with this movie.
films. While it's Pitt's film to A crowd-pleaser with a message, as
carry, a strong supporting cast, long as you stay off his lawn.
including Taraji P. Henson as BLAKE GOBLE
Button's adoptive mother, keeps
the audience engaged and the
film enchanting.
ANNIE LEVENE
(MAGE:COURTESY ofRC,; TTEN TO E S.Co

IMAGE COURTESY 01F ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
"FROST/N IXON"
Based on Peter Morgan's stage
play, "Frost/Nixon" is heavy on
talk but never boring. It's a film
that allows younger audiences to
see further into Richard Nixon's
famous Watergate scandal, an
event that ordinarily seems only
flat and historical. Frank Langella,
as disgraced President Nixon, is
particularly impressive as he por-
trays his character in two differ-
ent lights: a proud public figure
and a more flawed private man. He
humanizes Nixon in a way that is
both endearing and entertaining.
ANNIE LEVENE

"TROPIC THUNDER"
Much has been said about Robert
Downey Jr's exceptional and divi-
sive dip into black-face, but "Tropic
Thunder" has some acute writing
(thanks to Justin Theroux and Ben
Stiller, Downey's co-star and direc-
tor) that should not go unappreciated.
Beginning with lewd and crude faux-
previews, "Thunder" is as politically
incorrect as possible. It adheres to the
no-holds-barred, offend-all-so-as-to-
offend-no-one mantra, but it succeeds
where Howard Stern and other racy
comics fail. "Thunder" has the same
wit and layering as the similar comic
classic "The Three Amigos," and that
Downey character is pretty hilarious.
ELIE ZWIEBEL


"DOUBT"
As producer Scott Rudin said,
"There is nothing postmodern
about this movie." It is simply a
riveting piece of drama. Writer-
director John Patrick Shanley
elicits remarkably strong perfor-
mances from Meryl Streep, Philip
Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
and Viola Davis as three mem-
bers of the parish faculty and the
mother of a student, respectively.
Having adapted the script fromhis
own stageplay, Shanley constructs
an entirely enthralling character
piece that only gains more strength
in its execution on screen.
NOAH DEAN STAHL
See FILMS OF 2008, Page 8D