March 25th marked the centenary of David Lean’s birth. His Lawrence of Arabia is arguably the best film ever made; an intelligent, sweeping epic that would not be made today. Starring then unknown Peter O’Toole as the enigmatic T.E. Lawrence, the movie took two years to film, featured no established movie stars, had no love story, little action, and dared to portray Lawrence as a complex antihero: noble, tortured, vain, ambitious, bloodthirsty, self-hating, and maddeningly brilliant.

Anthony Lane of New Yorker wrote a lovely piece to honor one of cinema’s greatest craftsmen, and perhaps the last of the epic filmmakers.

The glory of Lean was that, with “Lawrence,” he summoned his earliest memory of awe  and, perhaps for the last time, restored our illusion that a mass medium could be a miracle. And the sadness of Lean is that he went on clinging to that belief while the rest of us watched it drift away. He died in 1991. Thank heaven he was not around for the iPhone.

Here’s the full essay.

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Paul Scofield, one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century, has passed away at 86.

Known as a quiet, reclusive man, Scofield rarely gave interviews and refused a knighthood in the 1960s. His acting spoke for him. His Oscar-winning performance as Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons is a family favorite, a rich and heartbreaking portrait of a saint that convinces without ever being sentimental. Part of his authenticity as the Catholic martyr who stood up to King Henry VIII in defense of his principles may be attributed to Scofield’s own inherent goodness: he was nicknamed “Saint Paul” among friends and associates who appreciated his humility and the simplicity of his family-oriented lifestyle.

Which isn’t to say he couldn’t play bad guys. Scofield oozed cultured menace as Burt Lancaster’s Nazi nemesis in John Frankenheimer’s The Train. The weight of the world found expression in his hangdog face and weary gestures as the melancholic French King in Branagh’s Henry V. He added warmth and gravitas to the role of Mark van Doren in Quiz Show, earning another Oscar nod. I watched him recently as the Ghost in Zeffirelli’s Hamlet (better known, I’m guessing, as Mel Gibson’s Hamlet). He is the highlight of the film — his grizzled face, low, mournful voice, and tortured eyes suggest an otherworldly, purgatorial ghost — a ghost who has truly harrowed hell. He was also towering as King Lear in Peter Brook’s 1971 version.

I hope that in Heaven he’ll be willing to repeat some of his greatest performances for the benefit of those unable to see them in this life: his Whiskey Priest in The Power and the Glory, Salieri in Amadeus, Uncle Vanya, Hamlet, Timon of Athens, Othello…basically anything he was ever in.

Goodnight, sweet prince, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest…

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Or should I say favorites of 2007. Here are 7 movies from last year that I thoroughly enjoyed, appreciated, or found especially thoughtful/memorable/interesting. Please note that I haven’t seen nearly all the acclaimed movies of the year (Juno or Sweeney Todd, for example), so this list can only be partially representative of what was released. Also note that I’m a 24-year old male, and that I just realized 4 of the 7 DVD covers here feature dudes with guns.

1. No Country for Old Men – A perfect synergy of filmmakers (Coen Bros) and source material (Cormac McCarthy) creates a masterpiece: a tight, sparse thriller with metaphysical undertones. The effect is like Alfred Hitchcock directing a Flannery O’Connor story: gripping, suspenseful, disturbing, morally serious, and chock-full of quirky and memorable characters. Of those, the baddest of bad guys is the most memorable: Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh joins the pantheon of pure evil alongside Hannibal Lecter, HAL 9000, and Uncle Charlie.

2. Diving Bell and the Butterfly – One of the year’s most experimental films was also its most deeply humane. Based on a true story about a successful magazine editor who suffers a massive stroke and is left almost completely paralyzed, the movie has a pro-life message about the value and dignity of every human person. Jean-Dominique Bauby — who earns the title “hero” in this movie — literally blinks out his memoirs with his only remaining mode of communication: his left eye. Funny, unsentimental, thoughtful, and beautifully made film.

3. 3:10 to Yuma – Excellent movie-movie that elevates its genre thanks to commanding lead performances from two of the best working actors today: Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. (Think of this as a twisted buddy movie.) It’s as reliably well made as a sturdy old armchair, with a well-crafted script, sharp supporting cast, great music, and a story that carries the same moral weight of the greatest Westerns of decades past. Ben Wade was the bad guy to beat until Bardem showed up with a cattle gun and a Prince Valiant haircut.

4. The Bourne Ultimatum – Like 3:10, the Bourne series has demonstrated genre filmmaking at its finest—smart, relentlessly paced action movies with an engaging hero and a healthy dose of political paranoia. The fun of the franchise is watching Bourne’s brain race as fast as his feet. His brilliant improvisations are mental as well as physical gymnastics. In every movie he’s had worthy adversaries: Chris Cooper, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, David Strathairn, and finally Albert Finney.

5. Zodiac – Underrated movie from notorious perfectionist, director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven). One of the best police procedurals I’ve ever seen has Fincher following the labyrinthine investigation into the “Zodiac” killings over the course of 20 years, encompassing a huge cast of characters. Nimble, intelligent storytelling—the nearly 3 hour running time breezes by, though your head may hurt a little from trying to process the mounting pile of clues, leads, and red herrings. Fincher assumes his audience is smart, not dumb—that’s a rarity in Hollywood these days.

6. Gone Baby Gone – From director Ben Affleck comes one of the most thought-provoking movies of the year…? Not words I ever expected to write. In adapting Dennis Lehane’s novel, Affleck shows a facility with actors (including Oscar-nominated Amy Ryan and his truly talented younger bro, Casey), as well as a feel for the atmosphere of his native Boston. A seedy, tough-going, rough-around-the-edges movie that nonetheless is thoughtful, almost contemplative. The ending is a humdinger: watch it with a group of your smartest friends and let the conversation begin.

7. Ratatouille – The first five of six on the list are reminders that many of 07’s best movies also happened to be grim, violent explorations of humanity’s dark side (Diving Bell was a glimmer of hope). So this came as a refreshing blast of haute cuisine-scented air. A witty and imaginative tale of a rat that wants to be a chef (sort of like a pig that wants to be a sheepdog), Ratatouille benefits from its clever Oscar-nominated script, eye-popping visuals, inventive sight gags (such as a kitchen armed fully by rat chefs), and spot-on vocal performances—especially the great Peter O’Toole as supercilious restaurant critic, Anton Ego. (The other memorable villain of the year named “Anton”.)

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