Social Outcasts: Of Pregnant Teens; Vampires; Samurai Hit Men; Losers; And Dysfunctional Families

Posted by Jason Ihle | No Comments

This post is Part II of a grouping of favorite indie films of the decade. This is the second to last post in the series chronicling my 70 favorite films of the ’00s.

Juno (2007) dir. Jason Reitman – A screenplay populated with memorable characters, all of whom are just this side of unreal. Juno herself, a pregnant teenager, hardly speaks a line that isn’t dripping with ironic detachment. It can grow tiresome, but you have to remember she’s a product of her generation. Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons are great as her supportive parents and then there’s Jason Bateman (resurrected) and Jennifer Garner (best under-recognized and understated performance) who are also excellent. It may not amount to much in the end, but it’s endlessly pleasurable.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – File this under ‘quirky indie road movie.’ A dysfunctional family travels together in a broken down Volkswagen van to get the young Abigail Breslin to a beauty pageant she’s been fervently preparing for. Alan Arkin won the Oscar for his caustic and hilarious turn as the grandfather who choreographed the girl’s surprising dance routine. Like any good road movie, the characters are on more than just a physical journey and catharsis will greet them at the end.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (2000) dir. Jim Jarmusch – Always an interesting and enigmatic director, this is probably Jarmusch’s best film about a modern day hit man who lives by the samurai code. He goes on a spree defending himself and his master (a mob lieutenant who who has utilized his skills). With dialogue scenes so deadpan they venture into the surreal and call forth the best of David Lynch.

Shadow of the Vampire (2000) dir. E. Elias Merhige – This is a hell of a quirky little tale. It’s a fictionalized account of the making of the German silent classic Nosferatu which was the first vampire movie. Bram Stoker’s estate would not sell the rights to Dracula so the title and some story elements were altered. This film supposes that Max Schreck, the method actor playing the part of Count Orlock, is not an actor but a real vampire, who has been promised the female costar for appearing in the film. Willem Defoe is just genius as Schreck/Orlock and John Malkovich is at his scenery-chewing best as director F. W. Murnau.

Whale Rider (2003) dir. Niki Caro – This film won me over mainly on the strength of 12-year old Keisha Castle Hughes’s lead performance as a young girl next in line to be chieftain of her Maori tribe, a culture dominated by male strength and stoicism. It centers on her and her relationship with her grandfather, the current chieftain, who is strongly against the idea of a girl filling that role. I don’t recall being moved more strongly by another film in the last ten years.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) dir. Jared Hess – Possibly one of the strangest movies of the decade. This is the kind of movie you’ll either laugh at or not. It’s like David Mamet’s jokes in that respect. If you don’t get it, you never will because it can’t be explained. So ‘getting’ it is like being part of an exclusive club and we wink at each other with mutual understanding. Being part of this club is not being an elitist or even rendering a judgment of being better than those who don’t get it. It’s simply a matter of fact. Give it a watch and see if you can join. If you find Napoleon’s first line in the film funny, there’s hope (#3 in this video of the top ten moments from the film). If you don’t even crack a smile, just turn it off right there.

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