Out of Focus

THE 2007 TOP 10 BEGINS WITH THE HOST

Yes, previously I wrote wrapping up "2007" when I meant 2006, but this subject header is what I actually mean. Today Magnolia Films opens the movie that would have been my number 2 on my 2006 list had it been released last year. Yup, ahead of The Departed.

At last year's New York Film Festival, I saw The Host (my review is here), and I was instant fan. All these months later, I can't wait to see it again. Few movies have stuck with me as long as this one which remains utterly relevant in every way. The Host is an example of genre filmmaking at its absolute best, and in my book, that actually simply means all filmmaking at its best. Bong Joon-ho is a creative force to be reckoned with, and I can't wait to see what he does next. But for that matter, I also can't wait to see The Host again!

Don't miss it!

HEIDI & RACHEL PRESENT A MORE ENTERTAINING BLOG THAN THIS

To know Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, the directors of Jesus Camp, is to love them, and if you visit the Tribeca Film Festival site, you can get to know them -- not quite intimately, but somewhat personally. These two awesome ladies kept a little diary for us spanning the weeks from learning about their Oscar nomination to their eventual Oscar night loss to that movie Al Gore didn't direct. Nonetheless, Heidi and Rachel experienced (and reported on) the whole thing with energy, wit and aplomb that you'd expect if you've ever spoken to or met them. And in case you're wondering: hell yeah ... they're both eminently crush-worth, can't you tell?

When they sent me the photos for the web site, I instantly crowned this one to the right one of my all-time favorites of any photo ever. Somehow, the camera managed to capture the perfect moment, with Heidi projecting a sad, bewildered, little-girl-lost, oops-what-did-I-do-wrong look. In the email that had this photo attached, she wrote, "I went to the Oscars and all I got was a headless, edible Oscar."

Check out their Oscar Diary for lots of great stories and photos.