The great vanishing act.

The Movie: Walk the Line, directed by James Mangold
Recommendation: Pretty near everyone, but Von Gauzen lent it to me.
Reason: "The Man in Black, baby. The Man in Black. What's not to love about Johnny Cash."

Some performances are so incredible that they're attributed to otherworldly phenomenon. Jim Carrey playing Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon was the first movie I saw with that effect. Joaquin Phoenix provided the second in Walk the Line. He disappears into the character so completely that it's hard not to believe it really is Johnny Cash in there. His portrayal is realistic without begging for sympathy. It's glory comes from the fact that he does not ask the audience to think that the character he's playing is a good person, only that the audience sees them as a person.

There's little to say about the movie that hasn't already been said. Wow. Joaquin Phoenix can sing stunningly well, and he sounds like Johnny Cash when he does it. Not only that, but his performance was so well-considered that he actually improved his singing over the course of the picture. Not to detract from the others who appeared with him, but he really was the best part of the movie.

I had a sort of a blonde moment (I'm allowed to have them, I have a little blonde streak in my hair) while I was watching. The name 'Carlene Carter' stuck in my head, and I came to the realisation that one of my favorite country artists from once upon a time was actually the daughter of June Carter. Excellent deduction on my part, I know. Maybe one day I'll identify all of the Arquettes.

-94/365 down, 271/365 to go