Queue And A

I hate winter. I hate the bitterly cold days (granted, in the Bay Area “bitterly cold” is technically anything under 60 degrees, but still . . .) I hate how night begins at 4:30 p.m. and ends at 8:00 a.m. I hate that I can’t wear any of my adorable short sleeved blouses. And most of all, I hate the abysmal winter movie season.

It’s no secret that movie studios choose to unload their lousiest movies during the winter months. I guess it makes sense strategically. It’s way too early to release the Oscar contenders and the big budget popcorn flicks will probably make more in spring and summer. But couldn’t those studio executives show us poor moviegoers some compassion? We’re already freezing and stressed out about taxes, do we really need to sit through a romantic comedy with Abigail Breslin?

If you’d like to avoid the winter onslaught of mediocre movies but still want a way to unwind on a Friday night, let me suggest you add some of the following films to your Netflix queue. Or you could always go see Paris Hilton’s latest, The Hottie and the Nottie.

My Kid Could Paint That: This documentary was one of my favorite films of 2007. It tells the story of child artist Marla Olmstead, who sold her first painting at age four and became an overnight media sensation only to fall from grace when 60 Minutes suggested that she might not be sole creator of her work. It’s a fascinating story and probes questions such as “Who decides what makes art good?” “Is modern art a sham?” and “What ethical standards govern documentary making?” Plus, the Olmstead children are quite possibly the cutest kids to ever roam the earth. Watch it with friends and then go out for coffee and discuss.

Stardust: I’m a sucker for fairy tales and damsels in distress and this August 2007 release is a winner. I think it’s the best of its genre since The Princess Bride and it actually made me like Claire Danes, which is high praise. It’s funny and sweet and doesn’t take itself too seriously – a great little jewel of a film.

Sketches of Frank Gehry: I pride myself on knowing a little bit about a lot of things and I’m not afraid to fake my way through lots of conversations on that small amount of information. However, there are three subjects that I won’t even attempt to discuss: Geography, Baseball, and Architecture. But now that I’ve seen Sydney Pollack’s sharp documentary on architect Frank Gehry, I might be able to fake my way through a few more discussions. The film is an interesting look at Gehry’s creative process and was highly instructional and entertaining. Plus, I think it might help me up my Jeopardy score.

Once: Let it be known that I have absolutely no problem with a character suddenly breaking into a song and dance routine in a busy street in the middle of a movie. However, I understand that this might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Once is one of those rare musicals for people who don’t like musicals. It’s realistic and thoughtful, the songs never feel out of place, and the music is simply gorgeous. The movie develops gently, but I sobbed through the last two minutes. If you don’t rent it, at the very least download “Falling Slowly” from the soundtrack.

So those are my picks. What are yours?