Here are my top five albums of last year¹, in no particular order…

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Even though it didn’t drop till June, Bitte Orca was probably my most played record of 2009. Packed with exquisite soundscapes and harmonies like you’ve never heard, Dirty Projectors broke new ground with this release.

The xx - xx

I’m generally not the biggest chillwave/dream-pop fan. But after sitting with The xx’s debut for a few days, they officially converted me. This is the most accessible album I’ve heard in the genre. A perfect record to throw on after a long day and chill-the-fuck-out to, I highly recommend it.

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Part II

Sadly, only one Hip Hop album made my list. I would’ve loved to see Clipse, Slaughterhouse or Mos Def crack the top five. But, at the end of the day, Raekwon’s follow-up to his 1995 masterpiece was the only one I deemed worthy. When I first read about Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Part II, I had my reservations. Why did RZA only produced three tracks? Could they bring the same fire 14 years later? Why was the album art so wack? But The Chef proved me wrong and cooked up a worthy successor. If this month’s Wu Massacre is half as good as this was, I’ll be happy (at least, it’ll have better artwork)

Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement

I declared A Strange Arrangement an instant classic the day I heard it. It is one of those timeless records that could have come out in 1969, 2009 or 2049 and it would still be dope. Reminiscent of legends like Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin, yet with a modern flavor, Mayer Hawthorne has crafted a near perfect album.

Blockhead - Music Scene

Blockhead’s The Music Scene is the only instrumental album on the list. Splicing together an eclectic mix of Hip Hop, Trip Hop and Electronica, Blockhead is one the most slept on producers in the game. He’s worked extensively with Aesop Rock, in addition to releasing four solo albums. Though not quite as epic in scale as his 2007 release, Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book, The Music Scene stands on its own merits. It was impossible to separate one track out of the album to embed in this post, so I decided to go with a 30-minute album sampler mixed by DK, that was released by Ninja Tune on Soundclound. Enjoy.

Honorable Mentions

There were tons of albums that didn’t make the final cut. Here are some of my favorites that missed out. Again, in no particular order:

• Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More ²
• Mos Def - The Ecstatic
• Clipse - Till The Casket Drops
• Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse
• Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
• Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
• Girls - Album
• Modest Mouse- No One’s First and You’re Next³
• Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love
• Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

click here for a full list of the winners.

Let’s make Round 2 even better than last year.

Enjoy…

The rules are pretty simple. Fill out your ballot at the end of the post. And if you can beat our highest score, you could win a $20 Amazon Gift Card. We’ve posted our ballots, so you know we can’t cheat. Enjoy. And don’t forget to check back this Sunday at 8:00 PM Eastern Time for our annual live blog.

And just a reminder, these aren’t necessarily what we think deserves to win. It’s just how we think the Academy is going to fuck up this year.

The B I G Gypsy’s Ballot

The Great White Gypsy’s Ballot

TIME’S UP!

We’ll announce our winner on Wednesday. For now, check out the live blog

What can one man do with two hands, a bass drum, snare, hi-hat, guitar, crazy fucking mask (a la MF DOOM) and a telephone receiver? If that one man is Gull, he can make one bad ass record. Using his left hand to play the guitar, his right hand on the drums and singing through a telephone receiver hidden behind his mask, Nathaniel Rappole (aka Gull) is truly a one-man band.

He’s has earned nice following in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia through his impromptu street performances and by blowing audiences away with his live shows. Equally virtuosic with his guitar and behind the drum set, his do-it-yourself approach doesn’t come off as gimmicky—it feels authentic, as if it was exactly what he was put here to do. His beats are infectious, imploring you to move. And the grooves he one-hands on the guitar are so intricate in places most guitarists wouldn’t attempt them with both hands.

If you read sexy gypsy on the regular, you know I put a lot of stock into creativity and innovation. And I can truly say, this is one of the most original artists I’ve ever heard. I strongly encourage you to check this guy out. You can buy his 7-inch, The Thin King at the Molsook Records site. Props to Ongakabaka for their post earlier today, which brought this to my attention.

Check out the videos below to see Gull in action.

Videos

Alice in Wonderland - Directed by Tim Burton, Written by Linda Woolverton
If Tim Burton spent the rest of his career warping Disney classics, I would still love the guy. There have been numerous remakes and interpretations, but Burton’s tale of Alice coming back to Wonderland when she’s 19 to stop the Red Queen could only be better if Depp, Carter, and Hathaway were in 3-D. Oh wait… Woolverton is no stranger to Disney (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan) and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Sweeney Todd, Dark City, The Crow) is a great addition.
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska, Crispin Glover, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry, Christopher Lee, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman
March 5

Brooklyn’s Finest - Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Written by Michael C. Martin
Even though Denzel Washington’s role in Training Day was over-hyped, it was a solid film. Now, Antoine Fuqua is returning with a story about dirty cops and gangsters. Really? That doesn’t sound familiar to anyone? Fuqua proved he isn’t a one trick pony with King Arthur, and the cast in this is impressive. But can Jay Z’s Run This Town really mask the dead horse being beaten?
Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Vincent D’Onofrio, Will Patton, Ellen Barkin
March 5

Green Zone - Directed by Paul Greengrass, Written by Brian Helgeland
The fact that Greengrass and Damon decided to go off the reservation and make their own “Bourne” type movie doesn’t bother me. Neither does the idea of Greg Kinnear as a bad guy. What does make me pause is writer Brian Helgeland. With titles like L.A. Confidential, Conspiracy Theory, and Man on Fire on his resume, I want to trust him. But with other titles like The Taking of Pelham 123, A Knight’s Tale, and The Postman, I’m a bit more skeptical. All in all, I’m still excited, though.
Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan
March 12

Mother - Directed by Joon-ho Bong, Written by Joon-ho Bong and Eun-kyo Park
I’ve only recently been getting into Korean film. My usual rule was: “If you’re not Chan-wook Park, I don’t watch your movie.” Though a lot of them are subpar, the gems I’ve been able to find are really good. So I’m looking forward to this thriller about a middle-aged woman searching for the man who framed her son for murder. Part drama, part thriller, Asian cinema in general seems to be better at this mix than American cinema. Korea picked it for their Oscar submission, and I can’t afford to order the Blu-Ray from Korea. So I’m looking forward to this release.
Bin Won, Hye-ja Kim, Ku Jin
March 12

The Secret of Kells - Directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, Written by Tomm Moore and Fabrice Ziolkowski
As upset as I am that this under-marketed film replaced Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs at the Oscars (it should have replaced Coraline), the artwork is pretty cool. The entire movie is done like an old school Celtic sketch. The story is a little muddled and mythically esoteric, but it is a beautifully done movie. If you haven’t seen the leaked copy online yet, you should check this one out.
Brendan Gleeson
March 12

Stolen - Directed by Anders Anderson, Written by Glenn Taranto
It always amazes me when an indie film manages to have nobodies behind the camera, and a bunch of known actors (or at least recognizable faces) in front. Anderson and Taranto haven’t done anything of note; same for the cinematographer and editor. But when Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Josh Lucas (Glory Road) Rhona Mitra (Boston Legal) and James van Der Beek (Varsity Blues) sign on, it piques my interest. About a detective on the case of a murdered boy who is still coping with the disappearance of his own son years earlier.
Josh Lucas, Jon Hamm, Rhona Mitra, James Van Der Beek
March 12

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, Written by Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg
This Swedish film is the first in what looks to be an already-completed trilogy based on the books by Stieg Larsson. This one is about the violent and secretive past of a close knit clan, and a series of murders. Granted, it won’t be Nightwatch, but the preview looks cool enough.
Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre
March 19

Repo Men - Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, Written by Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner
For those of you who are still confused: This film has NOTHING to do with Emilio Estevez. At first I was angry about this film, because I thought it was just a remake (or ripoff) of Repo! The Genetic Opera. But apparently, it’s based on the book The Repossession Mambo by Eric Garcia (who also wrote Matchstick Men) which came out around late 2008/early 2009. The plot is pretty straightforward: in the future, technology allows us to buy new manufactured organs. But if someone misses a payment, Repo Men come and take the organ back. I’m still having trouble envisioning Forest Whitaker as an “action star” (Shut up, Ghost Dog does NOT count), but we’ll see. When asked about his thoughts on the the new film, Darren Lynn Bousman refused comment, claiming he wasn’t comfortable discussing it a-melodically.
Jude Law, Liev Schreiber, Forest Whitaker, Alice Braga, RZA
March 19

The Runaways - Written and Directed by Floria Sigismondi
A movie about teenage girl musicians? Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Amanda Bynes, and Ashley Simpson aren’t in it at all? Holy shit, it’s a Christmas miracle! I have to believe the hardest part of making a biopic like this is the casting. Especially these days, when American Idol and High School Musicals 1-47 are making celebrities out of assholes. Sigismondi was a music video director back in the day. so this seems like her wheelhouse. Benoit Debie is also on board as cinematographer (Irreversible, Il cartaio, Day Night Day Night), and even if editor Richard Chew is a square peg (Star Wars, Waiting to Exhale, Shanghai Noon. Yeah, I’m confused too) he’s been around the block. And apparently, besides songs by The Runaways, Sex Pistols, and David Bowie, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning are flexing the golden pipes for the soundtrack. I hope there’s a deleted scene where The Runaways beat the shit out of Josie and the Pussycats.
Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Alia Shawkat, Scout Taylor-Compton, Michael Shannon, Tatum O’Neal
March 19

Vincere - Written and Directed by Marco Bellocchio
Marco Bellocchio’s name might sound familiar, but that’s because it rhymes with “Pinocchio”. Racist. Seriously, though, his film career has been an interesting one. As an auteur and supporter of the Radical Italian Party, his tendency towards sexually charged dramas (Devil in the Flesh, The Conviction) and his affinity for religious/political films (Good Morning, Night, My Mother’s Smile) appear to have become entangled with his new project. It is about Benito Mussolini’s first wife/mistress, who fell in love with him and financed his first newspaper, only to find herself ignored and mistreated during his rise to Fascist power. Definitely look into this one.
Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi
March 19

Ca$h - Written and Directed by Stephen Milburn Anderson
Anderson’s only done three movies to date. One of them was South Central (OG Bobby Johnson!!!!). This one seems poorly written, right down to the character names. That being said, Hemsworth has had a good couple years, and any film Sean Bean signs on for (at least those concerning British criminals) is entertaining if nothing else. This leaked a few weeks ago, and I haven’t jumped on it yet, but consider me curious.
Sean Bean, Chris Hemsworth, Victoria Profeta
March 26

Chloe - Directed by Atom Egoyan, Written by Erin Cressida Wilson
If you’re going to remake an Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel, The Girl From Monaco) film, who better to get involved with than Atom Egoyan? (Adoration, Where the Truth Lies) Moore, Neeson, and Seyfried might not be your fantasy threesome, but as far as acting talent and overall appeal, I gotta say it’s a respectable trio. Seyfried’s career has exploded in the last couple years, and she really looks creepy here. Remake of Nathalie, about a prostitute hired to seduce a husband, but then she goes all Glenn Close on everyone.
Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried
March 26

The Eclipse - Written and Directed by Conor McPherson
Conor McPherson’s resume is pretty short still. However, when you see the list of actors he’s worked with (Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox, Michael Caine, Michael Gambon…) it’s interesting if not respectable. Now he can add Ciaran Hinds, who plays a widower falling for a horror novelist while dealing with the appearance of his dead wife’s ghost. More drama than horror here, but that’s usually a good thing.
Ciaran Hinds, Iben Hjejle, Aidan Quinn
March 26

Greenberg - Directed by Noah Baumbach, Written by Noah Baumbach and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Damn you Noah Baumbach. I had a good thing going: allowing myself to be entertained by Ben Stiller’s films, yet silently, passively loathing him for bullshit like Zoolander. And Dodgeball. And Starsky and Hutch. And The Heartbreak Kid. But now it looks like you’ve made a movie that’ll force me to recall his roles in Permanent Midnight, Zero Effect, and Reality Bites. Just because you made The Squid and the Whale, you think you can throw Stiller in with Mumblecore royalty like Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair, Humpday) and Greta Gerwig (Baghead, Hannah Takes the Stairs) and I’ll watch it? You win again, Baumbach.
Ben Stiller, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rhys Ifans, Chris Messina, Mark Duplass, Greta Gerwig
March 26

Hot Tub Time Machine - Directed by Steve Pink, Written by Josh Heald and Sean Anders
I know, I know, this looks pretty cheesy. For one thing, you probably only recognize two names in the cast. John Cusack’s career has been a tad rocky in recent years, and I’m pretty sure Chevy Chase has joined Bob Saget in the “I suck dick for crack” section of Hollywood yesteryear. Most of you probably also missed Steve Pink’s last film Accepted (which was pretty damn funny). But if you watch the preview, you can’t tell me every one of these actors hasn’t made you laugh in one film or another. And really, who wouldn’t want to jump in a hot tub and travel back to the ‘80’s?? If for no other reason than to kill Lloyd Dobler for ruining all our lives.
John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Crispin Glover, Chevy Chase
March 26

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Horseman - Written and Directed by Steven Kastrissios
Foreign films are kind of like foreign orphans. sure, everyone wants to adopt one, but few of us really do. Brangelina has the monopoly on brown babies, and Quentin Tarantino has it on Asian film. Most foreign films are not so lucky, which is why this violent revenge tale about a grieving father wreaking havoc in the Australian outback is going straight to DVD tomorrow after wowing critics and audiences down under. I’m not asking you to send Mogwai to Oxford, dude. I’m just asking you to go to Blockbuster.
Peter Marshall, Caroline Marohasy, Brad McMurray
March 1 (DVD)

Father of My Children - Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Love
More proof I have wasted my life. Mia Hansen-Love has only made three films, one of them a short. But she made her first one when she was 23-years-old. This is why I’m so surprised that, at age 29, she’s managed to craft a film so beyond her years both technically and emotionally. This film is about a French film producer who gets into financial trouble and becomes suicidal. Even the preview looks patient and poignant. I need to get on the ball.
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli
March 5 (UK)

City Island - Written and Directed by Raymond De Felitta
I’ve been seeing this film around the interwebs so long I thought it was already out. It is available, but if my facts are straight it’s finally getting released in select cities this month. Felitta hasn’t done much, but one look at the cast and I’m confident this comedy about deceitful family members is worth a look-see.
Andy Garcia, Alan Arkin, Juliana Margulies, Emily Mortimer, Dominik Garcia-Lorido
March 19 (New York and LA)

The Killing Jar - Written and Directed by Mark Young
Michael Madsen is a G. Seriously, go look at IMDB. The man has done 162 projects (including his own short-lived TV show) in less than 30 years. And he has 29 listed as “in production”. Sure, 21 of those are listed as having 2010 release dates, but that’s not the point. The man loves acting, and though he’s one of the most recognizable faces in cinema (second only perhaps to Danny Trejo) he chooses projects he enjoys, not the ones that’ll make him the most money. Sure this story about a madman holding a diner full of people hostage doesn’t sound original. And sure it’s going straight to DVD. But with Harold Perrineau (Lost, Felon), Trejo (every movie ever made) and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers), you can’t hate on it.
Michael Madsen, Harold Perrineau, Amber Benson, Danny Trejo, Jake Busey
March 19 (DVD)

The City of Your Final Destination - Directed by James Ivory, Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
If this one totally snuck by you, don’t feel bad. It almost got past me too. It’s about a college student who receives a grant to write a biography on a Spanish author. Might sound boring, but I refuse to believe that anything with Hopkins, Linney and Gainsbourg will be less than great. Also, director James Ivory is approaching his final destination (he’s seriously 82), and after a damn good list under his belt (Howard’s End, A Room with a View, The Remains of the Day) this should be another good addition. Limited March 30 release.
Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg
March 30 (Limited)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

There are really only two real contenders here—George Clooney and Jeff Bridges. Morgan Freeman is a great actor. And his soft, deep voice could convince people to do anything, except give a shit about rugby or South Africa. Invictus is just a bad, boring movie. Hurt Locker, on the other hand, is spectacular. But as good as it is, and it is fucking great, Jeremy Renner had little to do with it. That movie was one of those rare cases, where the combination of cinematography, editing, direction and acting came together to produce a film greater than the sum of its parts. As far as A Single Man, we haven’t seen it yet. But it’s tough to imagine Colin Firth out performing Bridges and Clooney. Both gave superb performances this year, but Clooney was still Clooney and a Jeff Bridges Oscar win is a long time coming.

Who Should Win: George Clooney/Jeff Bridges
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

This category is filled with tremendous acting talent. Any other year, this would be a very tough choice. But this isn’t any other year. It’s 2010, the Year of The Jew Hunter. This is especially unfortunate for Woody Harrelson, who gives his best performance since White Men Can’t Jump with his turn in The Messenger. However, neither Woody nor any of the other nominees can match the iconic, potentially timeless character of Hans Landa. Christoph Waltz is a lock.

Who Should Win: Cristoph Waltz
Who Will Win: Christoph Waltz

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Ever time we look at the list of nominees for this category, our first thought is, “Goddamn it. Really? Sandra Bullock? For The Blind Side?” Normally, it would be tough for the Academy to vote against Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren in anything. But this year, Sandra BUllock has been cleaning up all the awards preceding the Oscars. And that’s usually a good indicator of which direction the Academy is leaning. As for the other nominees, we’d really like to see Carey Mulligan to win after her show-stealing role in An Education. Expect good things to follow from her. That leaves us with Gabourey Sidibe … fuck it. We’re not even gonna talk about Precious.

Who Should Win: Carey Mulligan
Who Will Win: Sandra Bullcok

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Ok. We know. We just said we weren’t going to talk about Precious. And as strange as we feel saying this with such solid, proven actresses in contention (Cruz, Farmiga, Kendrick and Gyllenhaal), Mo’Nique finally put down the bucket o’ chicken and grabbed a big, fucked up cup o’ crazy and self-loathing. She still perpetuates an ugly stereotype, but she can definitely fucking act. Like Christoph Waltz, she has this one locked up.

Who Should Win: Mo’Nique
Who Will Win: Mo’Nique

Best Director

Lee Daniels can suck it (This is the last time we mention him or his Godforsaken film. From now on, we shall refer to it as, The Film That Shall Not Be Named ). Reitman is obviously very talented, but it was the writing, more so than the direction, that really made Up In The Air a truly special film. James Cameron has no business being nominated here, it’s a fucking conspiracy (see below). Tarantino is the obvious choice here. But with all the hype Bigelow has been getting, what with having a vagina and all, she might steal it. And we can’t say we’d be all that mad. She did do a great job.

Who Should Win: Quentin Tarantino
Who Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow

Best Adapted/Original Screenplay

This is, by far, the most stacked category this year. Between the original and adapted screenplays nominated, there is only really one that doesn’t deserve to be here. Guess which one it is. Give up? It’s The Film That Shall Not Be Named. It’s pretty tough to pick a clear winner here and we won’t be upset regardless of the outcome. It would be great if the Academy could, for once, just be cool and give Best Adapted Screenplay to In The Loop. But as it’s going against Nick Hornby and Jason Reitman, that’s going to be difficult, difficult, lemon difficult. Gun to our heads, we’d love to say Inglourious Basterds for original and In The Loop for adapted. Realistically, however, we’ll have to swap the latter with Up In The Air.

Who Should Win: In The Loop (adapted), Inglourious Basterds (original)
Who Will Win: Up In The Air (adapted), Inglourious Basterds (original)

Best Picture

You’d think, due to the doubling of the nominees, Best Picture would be a tough choice this year. Sadly, it’s not. This was a super weak year for mainstream film. So on principle, we’re throwing out Avatar and pretty much everything else except District 9, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, and Up In The Air. We loved all four. But you just can’t fade The Hurt Locker and Basterds. Basically whichever wins Best Director, the other needs to win here.

Who Should Win: Hurt Locker
Who Will Win: Avatar

Conspiracies and Final Thoughts

• There is a very good chance that James Cameron and Avatar could fuck around and steal a bunch of these awards from far more deserving nominees. So don’t be surprised if it takes Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Score and a shit ton of awards it didn’t earn. The Academy tends to fawn over fancy effects and box office numbers.

• From a direction standpoint, Tarantino was a clear step above the rest of the field. However, knowing how the Academy likes to make a statement; Kathryn Bigelow will probably win this year, becoming the first woman to win Best Director. If it were up to us, she’d win for Best Picture and the world would finally recognize what a G Tarantino really is.

• There was only one glaring omission this year. (This is not counting the obvious omissions I expect from the Academy, like failing to recognize Rian Johnson’s The Brothers Bloom.) And that is Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. As much as the Academy loves its animated, fun-for-the-family fare, you’d think something as enjoyable as this film would’ve gotten some love. But, no. They decided to throw The Secret of Kells a nod. You know, just to fuck with you. So you’d be all like, “Oh? The Secret of Kells, what an interesting choice Academy! You’re so much smarter than me! I’m gonna to my local Blockbuster and rent it immediately!” Fuck them and fuck you, because I know that’s exactly how you reacted to that nomination. And while I’m on the topic, UP is probably going to win this year. Even though, Wes Anderson has properly atoned for his past sins with Fantastic Mr. Fox and totally deserves this shit. Goddamnit. I hate the Oscars.

Sweet.
Deliberate.
Silent.

It wasn’t even sharp.
The dull, blunted edge of reality, slowly sinking deep within his bones.

It’s over.
I’m done.
I don’t want this.

Each word cut him deeper.

His pain spilled out of his eyes.

Were his words too soft?
Too sweet his touch?
His love too much??

Where did he fail?
Where did he slip?
Why now?

The cold slid up his spine.
The ice from her gaze was more than he could bear.
Eyes that once lit the world, now stared through the core of him.

Blank.
Empty.
Indifferent.

She didn’t even care.
She wasn’t even there.

To stay, was to endure death.

But to leave…
To leave meant forsaking beauty, perfection, a love designed by GOD himself.

Indecision paralyzed him.

It was quiet now.
The silence tore him in two.

His soul caught in his throat.
Fighting valiantly to escape.
He choked on it.

How exactly do you apologize for being eight years late to a movement? Traffic? Couldn’t find parking? The missus took forever getting ready? Whatever the proper excuse, Sexy Gypsy would like to extend it to Mumblecore. Sorry we’re late.

The Movement

If you go to Google and type in “What is Mumblecore?”, you’ll get about 30,000 results. Half of them are wikipedia and urbandictionary (if I wanted to, I could go on both sites and change the definition to “An STD exclusive to muskrats.”). But if you read the other half, you will find numerous definitions, elements, and personal viewpoints. The only thing everyone agrees on is that it is an artistic movement in cinema. It’s also been called “Slackavettes” and I think more accurate: “Post-graduate Naturalism”. Its rumored influences range from John Cassavetes to Larry David, and back to a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of.

But what is it?

Rather than give you a checklist of genre-creating elements, I’ll break down the movement. In the early 2000’s, a group of filmmakers fresh out of film school started picking up handheld digital camcorders and making cheap, dialogue- and character-driven indie films. Unlike many other pretentious and hipster artists who want to carve a niche for themselves, these people just wanted to make good films. However, since there were noticeable underlying themes among these films, they were packed into a neat little box (possibly made of ticky-tacky) and given a name: Mumblecore.

The Players

Good ol’ IMDB has a list of 50 Mumblecore films, made by various directors and actors. However, as far as we are concerned there is a more concentrated, uh, core to the category.

Andrew Bujalski may have been the pioneer of the movement, with his 2002 snapshot film Funny Ha Ha. Extremely Lo Fi, even by 2002 standards, it established his style of abrupt starts and finishes mixed with an awkward uber-realism that makes you cringe. It also established the possibilities for a more naturalistic and unconventional method of filmmaking. While Bujalski isn’t one of my favorite Mumblecore directors, he is one of my favorite actors. Unlike a lot of others in the genre, Bujalski’s range of characters is wider, and though the dialogue might not be scripted, he seems more able to blend himself with the stories from film to film.

Cut to 2005. Not only do we see Bujalski’s second film (Mutual Appreciation, more technically focused but not as well written), but we have the emergence of three other key players. Mark and Jay Duplass and Joe Swanberg. The Duplass Brothers’ The Puffy Chair, about a guy taking a road trip with his girlfriend and brother to pick up a birthday present for their father, is easily one of the best Mumblecore films to date. It still had the indie camcorder feel to it, but the characters were more interesting, the story more engaging, and the acting much more even. Swanberg’s unnecessarily graphic Kissing on the Mouth was another punch landed for the artists. Though I generally detest his characters and his horny overindulgence in superfluous, graphic sexuality, he has a great eye for realistic situations and relatable stages in life. His main character is a girl recently graduated from college. She continues to sleep with her ex, though she doesn’t want to be with him. Between that, her jealous roommate (played by Swanberg) and her menial job at her parents’ business, she is stagnant and ultimately fighting her fear of the next step in life.

By 2006, Mumblecore was in full swing. However, it wasn’t really until 2008 that it really caught the attention of the masses. Lynn Shelton jumped into the fray with My Effortless Brilliance, an extremely dialogue driven film about two friends reconnecting after a falling out. Though I found it a touch boring and narrow, the more male-driven storyline, complete with the typical male inability to really communicate, was intriguing, and the film was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award (winner, Someone to Watch, 2009). Now, in 2010, Shelton, Bujalski, Swanberg, and The Duplass Brothers are not only on everyone’s radar, but they’re getting a shit ton of indie love and award season nods with their latest work (Humpday, Beeswax, Nights and Weekends, and Baghead respectively).

And who could forget the royalty of the movement, the Queen of Mumblecore herself: Greta Gerwig. Though she only co-directed one film (Nights and Weekends), she is probably the most recognizable face among the actors. With her “realistic” attractiveness and obvious indie girl vibe, her resume definitely earns her the matriarchy. My personal feelings aside (I think her “realistic acting” is too forced), she definitely has the potential for mainstream success, and her upcoming role in Greenberg should be the push she needs.

Speaking of mainstream success: for those of you who don’t know, The Duplass Brothers have finished their first studio production, Cyrus. With big names like Catherine Keener, Jonah Hill, and John C. Reilly on board, they’ve pretty much made it to the big time. (Mark Duplass is also going into his second season of The League, which doesn’t hurt.)

THE FILMS

Rather than ramble on about the numerous titles in the Mumblecore library, I’ll give you a glimpse of my five favorite titles, arranged in no particular order.

Humpday

Lynn Shelton’s second film about two friends (Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard) who decide to have sex together on camera for an amateur porn festival. The juxtaposition of the outrageous plot and the realistic, relatable characters and dialogue is amazing, and fits on screen perfectly. It’s not just watching a movie, it’s like watching home movies that you were behind the camera for.

In Search of a Midnight Kiss

A guy who recently went through a breakup posts a craigslist ad for a New Year’s Eve date; someone to kiss at midnight. The first girl to answer is more attractive than expected, and they spend the next eight hours getting to know each other. With dialogue that rivals Humpday, and a much more accessible, entertaining story, this is a standout title from a one time director (Alex Holdridge).

The Puffy Chair

I described this one above, but had to mention it again here. I might prefer this one to Humpday, for no other reason than the brother and his impulsive marriage to a near stranger was a great addition to a simple story (and still believable; I kinda know people like that).

The Lionshare

A younger cast changes the usual tone in this shorter story about online music sharing and it’s influence in relationships. The dialogue from younger actors actually makes a difference, and for once the cinematography caught my attention. To read my full review, click here.

Medicine for Melancholy

Wyatt Cenac steps away from The Daily Show to return to his roots as a dramatic actor in this story about Gentrification in San Francisco. What I found interesting about this one is that there is at times a purposeful lack of dialogue that is just as effective as the spoken words in the rest of the genre.

Final Thoughts

The BIG Gypsy and I have spent many an hour discussing what exactly makes a Mumblecore film a Mumblecore film. Sure, there are the standards: shot on handheld digital camcorders, about 20-something people finding their way through life (more importantly relationships), and involving very relatable characters. Simple, realistic direction and camerawork with little or no scripted dialogue. Though most of these are in a certain sense true of many Mumblecore films, there is still a problem with the word “Mumblecore” as a label. For starters, how do you classify certain films? Is The Puffy Chair still Mumblecore, even though all the dialogue was scripted? Is Wendy and Lucy not a contender because of unrelatable circumstances and a relationship with a dog? Is Away From Her not included only because the characters are too old? It’s hard to say. This is the reason I feel the label is too broad. However, in relation to The Duplass Brothers’ new film Cyrus, I also feel it’s too narrow. Assigning any list of guidelines to this movement will ultimately conflict with certain projects for directors and actors alike if they attempt to broaden their careers.

Mumblecore is more of a feeling. Like any other genre or category, it is best defined by the effect it has on you. This, to me, is cinema at it’s core: all labels do is put one word to myriad emotions and tonalities we recognize while viewing a film.

So this is my final thought. Whatever you think about Mumblecore as a movement, genre, category, etc., these talented directors may never have been given opportunities without this arbitrary moniker. Whatever it meant in 2002, it might not mean that anymore. I just hope in the future, labels such as this will continue to legitimize the work of truly talented artists.

And again, sorry for being late to this party.

Be on the lookout for my next article: Grunge - The New Music Craze Sweeping the Nation.