It’s been over a year now, and I’m still singing the praises of Garden State. At first I was just thrilled to see the playful side of Natalie Portman, one that had not made an appearance since Beautiful Girls. She is very vibrant and animated in Garden State, a welcome change from her suppressed Star Wars days. But I have to give credit to co-star/director/writer Zach Braff (Scrubs), for making his directorial debut so entertaining, refreshing and even poignant. There is a very appealing spirit to this movie, and I guarantee that you will quickly forget about his wacky sitcom antics when you watch a much more subdued Braff unravel onscreen in Garden State. This film is, at its core, an amalgamation of the quirky experiences of Braff’s friends. Add to that the perfect mix tape of a soundtrack, and you are presented with an endearing film for the ages.

Next week I will be dedicating an unhealthy amount of time to watch the extras on the new Lost Season 1 DVD set. The divisional and wild card races in baseball are also getting down to the wire, and my team is right in the heat of things. So it’s safe to say that until October, I will be a vidiot. To top things off, the second season of Lost debuts in a few weeks, plus Alias and Survivor: Guatemala. Have I mentioned that TiVo is my best friend?

Sean Penn is Mr. Serious. I don’t know if he has laughed on camera since We’re No Angels with Robert DeNiro. Of course I’m referring to Penn’s body of work post-Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His above-average talent stood out in movies as early as 1981, in Taps. I think it’s time we all forgive him for the Madonna period, which resulted in Shanghai Surprise. Only two years after that debacle, he was back in prime form opposite Robert Duvall in Colors. Penn was a busy man in the 90′s, and his best from that decade includes Carlito’s Way (for the hair alone!), Dead Man Walking (he should have won the Oscar), and The Game (an underrated thriller co-starring Michael Douglas). I am also drawn to Penn’s recent films, where he is displaying more vulnerability and raw emotion (Mystic River and 21 Grams).

A movie with Oscar potential and strong buzz, slated for release this December, that I am adding to my must-see list is Brokeback Mountain. Based on an award-winning short story by Annie Proulx (she also wrote The Shipping News) and directed by Ang Lee (who helmed 2 in my top 10 – The Ice Storm and Sense & Sensibility), Brokeback stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as two cowboys who share a secret romance. I have no idea whether Middle America is ready for this, even if the concept is cushioned by two very straight and aesthetically pleasing actors, but I will be standing in line on opening night. 

Andrew Niccol is probably not a household name. He wrote and directed Gattaca, an underrated sci-fi film recognized more as the movie where Uma and Ethan fell in love onscreen and off.  He also penned The Truman Show (one of my favorites) and The Terminal (I haven’t seen this yet).

I am intrigued by the upcoming Lord of War, starring Nicolas Cage, which Niccol also wrote and directed. At least from the trailer preview, it doesn’t appear to have the same futuristic feel as Gattaca and Truman. Besides, I prefer tragic and/or neurotic Cage in Leaving Las Vegas and Adaptation to action hero fluff like Con Air.