After Cut Reviews

Review: The Fault In Our Stars + Live Q&A

2014-06-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

From the indisputably talented writers from acclaimed romantic indies such as (500) Days of Summer and last year's provocative The Spectacular Now, screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber once again offer audiences a nuanced look at young love, with the witty charm of (500) Days and the grappling realism of The Spectacular Now with their latest, and what's sure to be a critically acclaimed and box-office success, The Fault In Our Stars.

Based on the New York Times best-selling YA novel of the same name by John Green, Fault centers around a 16-year-old girl, Hazel Grace (Shailene Woodley), who is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. During a support group meeting, she meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a cancer survivor who inexorably and unabashedly pursues Hazel with the mellowed-cool of James Dean and the flattery of a modern-day and less articulate Shakespeare. Their friendship quickly blossoms into something more serious, but when Hazel's health matters take a left turn she has to ask herself if happiness is worth pursuing despite her grave reality.

This is certainly no fairy-tale romance; Hollywood cliches are demystified so we're left with what feels like an unadulterated perspective on love, death and growing up, as far as romantic films go. Those familiar with Green's novel recognize the, although witty style in which he writes, unflattering reality that lingers on every page and keeps any sense of romantic escapism in check. This was nicely transitioned into the film. The film's exceptional cast maintains this sense of realism with gritty performances, particularly Woodley, Elgort and Hazel's mother, played Laura Dern who lends her character a resilient maternalism and gives a wonderfully painful performance. Woodley and Elgort, however, are what define the film. If the writing is the structure, they are the glue that comfortably sets into the crevices and tightly binds to create a complete experience. In a recent interview, Woodley admitted to almost quitting the business until she read the script for The Spectacular Now. Thank God for that, otherwise spectators might have been left with an actress not as, seemingly, acutely attuned to her character. What Woodley offers, with her lack of makeup, uninhibited breakdowns, and leading-lady capabilities, is a completely engaging and, thus, believably moving performance. She's complimented by Elgort, who personifies Augustus' amusing and flirtatious nature, while balancing the tenderly vulnerable and unflattering side.

While, ostensibly, the film appears to be another tear-jerker romance in the same vain as a Nicholas Sparks novel, it intellectually prods at philosophical and often bleak theories and ideas, making it a universally appealing film for anyone who has ever wondered about death, experienced pain or loss, or has grappled with existentialist beliefs. In the film, Hazel tells Augustus she doesn't want to pursue anything romantic because she's a "grenade" and wants to reduce casualties. This notion of denying gratification out of fear of dying is evident throughout the film. Green offers Augustus as an antithesis to that, he tells Hazel, when they first meet, he enjoys looking at beautiful things and doesn't want to deny himself all the pleasures in life. It makes sense Hazel doesn't want to engage in something possibly worthwhile, given her diagnosis, but by her own admission, everyone's going to die anyway, eventually. This sense of "oblivion" is flippantly tossed around in the film, both as an interesting possibility and perhaps more as a wry coping mechanism to circumvent thinking about a hereafter. If this seems dark, it's because it is. The film makes no attempt to shy away from the book's heavy subject matter. It's demonstrates the duality of accepting death as inevitable and finding meaning within an individual's limited existence, despite an awareness of expiration and, one day, extinction where the phantoms of our existence will be erased with those who knew us. Despite such heavy and often dark material, the film manages to be, in all its painful spectacle, inspiring. It's full of effervescent life and unexpected, yet exciting adventure. It's about the experience, however short, and those we choose to share it with.

The ending, however you wish to interpret it, has an uplifting tone. It's perhaps Green's offering to the lack of closure in his book-within-a-book "An Imperial Affliction," a novel Hazel and Augustus obsess over throughout the film. This self-referential notion that authors often cut their stories short or end it in the midst of action, parallels the ephemeral lives of cancer patients. As Hazel points out, people often die in the middle of life, in the middle of a sentence. Similarly, "The Diary of Anne Frank" ends in the same fashion (although surely and sadly unintentionally so), so it's only appropriate the characters visit the Anne Frank House on their trip to Amsterdam. Neither the book nor the film end in such a way, but the themes expressed throughout the film reveal that it's not important what happens next, so the ending is suiting.

Director Josh Boone, somehow manages to adapt Green's novel into the film it deserves to be, externalizing all its creative and poignant elements into its pictorial potential. Boone manages to redeem himself after the 2012 lackluster drama Stuck In Love, which he wrote himself. As long as he leaves the writing to more capable individuals, he shows excellent potential behind the camera (he's currently working on adapting a Stephen King novel).

As a John Green fan, an avid reader of YA novels and lover of coming-of-age indie films, Fault raises the bar high both as a book and film. It's hard to pin the film down to a niche genre, when it's portrayed so honestly - it universally offers something relatable, whether it's love or loss, pain or joy, enlightenment or internal conflict. And just like the book, the film leaves a long-lasting imprint that's emotionally unforgettable. Despite inevitable oblivion, don't deny yourself the pleasure of watching a film that's sure to be remembered for years to come.

Grade: A

Special Screening Live Q&A:

As some of you may or may not know, there was a special screening for the film held on Thursday, 5:30 PST, that was shown simultaneously across the country (600+ theaters) so audiences, after the film, could stay and watch a live Q&A session with some of the stars, cast and the author. The screening was $25, and everyone got a poster with printed signatures of Woodley, Elgort, Green and Nat Wolff (who plays Isaac in the film) and a really cheap-looking bracelet that's basically just a non-stretchy coarse string with a star charm with the title of the film etched into it. In attendance at the session was Green, along with the three aforementioned actors, Boone and one of the producers.

This is the information I had going into the film. The Q&A was a combination of odd, funny, technical difficulties, and nihilistic fan answers.

Before I begin, let me preface this by saying the film experience was slightly overshadowed, at times, by audible reactions from fellow patrons in my theater. If you're going to cry or blow your nose, do so quietly, so it does not interrupt those around you or inspire giggles which also interrupts those around you. If you know you are going to cry belligerently during the whole film, for the love of God, stay the fuck home. I swear to you, I heard girls (the majority of the audience in my theater) gasping for air as they were crying. Also, please refrain from making audible comments during the film, like "I can't control my feels," "what is happening to me?" and "how did they film this?" during an intimate scene. If you fall in this category, I personally hate you, and ask that you do not ruin the film for those around you if you haven't seen the film yet or plan on seeing it again.

Okay, so stepping away from a critical, formal tone, I'll relay most of the events for anyone curious as to what went down. The Q&A began with Alton Brown (yes, Iron Chef Alton Brown, which inspired me to tweet #TheFaultInOurAAAAAAAAHHHHHLAAAAYCUISINE! last night) on-screen, outlining the events that were about to transpire: a Q&A (which after the film, we could tweet questions using the hashtag: #ASKTFIOS to possibly get answered and shown on screen), some musical performances and some surprises. After the introduction, singer Birdy sang both her hit song "Skinny Love" and a song she wrote for the soundtrack "Not About Angels," which were both really good and the latter of which I'm listening to as I type this.

After Birdy's performance, the cast and crew and John Green came out and joined Alton in a theater, I think in Georgia, where a special screening of the film had just taken place also. Alton started off saying he watched the film and read the whole book that day to prepare and started off with the first question. I forgot what it was, but was directed at John Green. I was distracted by Shailene crying as soon as she sat down and talking about her snot. She said she was sad that the film's journey reached its conclusion and it felt like a graduation and was overwhelmed by the experience she had making the film and now sharing it with people.

Throughout the Q&A, Alton oscillated between taking questions from Twitter and those in attendance in the theater. The most memorable of which, and perhaps the darkest moment, was when a girl from Peachtree City, or something like that, in the audience asked John Green if he believed in oblivion. I swear to God, he told her she and everyone in Peachtree City and everyone she loved was going to die and shit. To be fair, he said it in a jocular sense, but still we were taken back at his nihilistic response. He didn't really mean it obviously, but it was still fucking hilarious. Someone from Twitter asked a question and I couldn't remember what he or she asked because when they flashed the tweet on screen it showed their profile pic was a picture of Josh Hutcherson with their handle "conwhore" or something like that. Someone asked what John's favorite scene was and he complained about his scene being cut from the film. In the book, there's a part where a little girl asks Hazel about her nasal cannulas and lets her try it on. There's a mother in the background. John apparently played the little girl's father.

There were a few moments of technical difficulties, static and the audio getting really loud, but for the most part it was alright. We could hear everything they said. Shailene said she got stung on her cheek when a bee got caught in her cannulas during a scene. She said she felt bad for the bee. One of the producers was there and I don't remember him talking much. John talked a lot, obviously, which was humorously foretold by Alton. Someone in the audience asked them what question have they not been asked that they would like to be asked and give an answer to that question. Nat said he wanted to know what happened to the hamster in "An Imperial Affliction" asking John what his home life was like. I don't remember what John said, everyone was just being silly. Boone said he took a USB with him during one of the pre-production meetings and showed some producer some of the songs he had in mind for the film. Also, the soundtrack for the film was really nice, felt young and indie like the film and never overpowered it. One of the girls in the audience who asked a question was named Alex Wolffe, like Nat's brother but with an 'e' if I remember.

After the Q&A Nat and his brother Alex performed two songs. The first was called "Last Station" which I really liked and the other I don't remember, but was the song Isaac sings when he's crying in Augustus' basement/room. I didn't care for the second song that much.

After the second musical performance, we were told to stick around for a special surprise, which was John Green's cut scene from the film. It was at the airport before they leave for Amsterdam. It was cute, but ultimately nonessential and understandable cut.

Was it ultimately worth the $25 bucks? I don't know, if you're a fan of John Green or the cast members, perhaps. The bracelet and poster doesn't seem worth it to me, but ultimately I had a great experience, so I'm glad I went. The theater was also, surprisingly, empty. Not even halfway full, I would say. When we finally left, the line of people waiting for the later showings wrapped around the building, so I was happy to evade a big crowd of potentially louder audience members. All in all, it was the film that was most satisfying, everything else I'm sure will make its way online someday, so don't feel like you missed out if you didn't go to the special screening. It was pretty short anyway and didn't reveal anything new or terribly interesting. It just seemed like an excuse to make people cough up more cash.

Liebster Award

2014-05-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I've been neglecting my blog for quite a while, busy contributing to awardscircuit.com and that pesky duty of finding employment after graduating. But good news - I've been nominated for a Liebster Award! I'd like to thank all the little people I've stepped on to get here. Only kidding. Thanks to Ben for the generous nomination and, sorry ahead of time, for not following the rules and regulations of the game.

I'll keep it plain and simple, but here are my answers:

1. What's your most prized Blu-ray/DVD/VHS and why does it have a special significance to you?

I try not to get attached to physical copies of films. I also don't have that many to brag about (maybe forty?). But if I had to pick one, I'm gonna go with an old-school answer and say my original VHS copy of Jurassic Park. It's one of my all-time favorite films and it sparked my love of film growing up; I had a short phase where I wanted to be a paleontologist. SHOOOOOOT HAAAAA!!!!!!

2. What was the first movie you remember seeing in the cinema?

My parents tell me the first film they took me to see was 101 Dalmations, but the first one I remember seeing was The Nightmare Before Christmas. It has since become one of my favorite, nostalgic films and my love of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and stop-motion films has grown infinitely since.

3. What was the first R-rated film you saw in theaters?

I didn't see an R-rated film in theaters until I was of age (17), but I couldn't have had a better first experience. It was Knocked Up. It was my senior year in high school. Me and some friends ditched school and had a fun day in town. It was awesome.

4. Have you ever dressed up as a movie character for a party/holiday/occasion?

I'm trying to think and I don't recall ever dressing up as a movie character! And she calls herself a cinephile?

5. When did you last cry like a baby while watching a movie?

I don't think I cried "like a baby," but I've been into depressing documentaries of late. I saw this documentary called It's a Girl on Netflix recently and it made me cry a few times. For the most part, I don't really cry when I watch films.

6. Have movies taught you any life lessons that you still adhere to today?

Most definitely. Scorsese taught me not to be a rat. Almodovar taught me there's something masculine about every woman and something feminine about every man. Sans Soleil taught me there's no such thing as documentary or truth in film. And Funny Games taught me never to let strangers in my house. Knock all you want, I ain't opening the door FedEx man!

7. Think of your favorite director. Now write a short poem about why you love their work.

Poem? I, uh...eh, here goes:

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
I deeply respect and admire Pedro Almodovar's filmography, with his feminist tendencies, auteur style and his unapologetic display of colors that usurps Spain's once austere Francoist regime,
How about You?

8. What's your favorite movie score/soundtrack?

Great question. I love Clint Mansell and think "Requiem for a Dream" is one of the best soundtracks, but I prefer "Death is the Road to Awe," found on The Fountain's OST. I also have to give shout outs to Danny Elfman, Dario Marianelli, Alberto Iglesias, Howard Shore and John Williams. I could literally talk about soundtracks for days.

9. What's your favorite animation of all time?

Favorite animated movie? Does PIXAR count? I'll go with maybe Up or Ratatouille.

10. Do you have any favorite childhood movies that you now hate?

No, believe it or not. They're all nostalgic for me now. Even something like Good Burger or Space Jam.

11. Which do you prefer: a packed cinema auditorium on opening night or a quiet and empty cinema auditorium a week later?

Hands down, the latter. I rarely go to opening-night screenings, unless I'm dragged by a friend. I don't like watching films with other people, since you don't get to choose who goes, e.g., woman with crying baby, teenagers who talk throughout the whole thing, older couple who laughs at everything, even the stupid cell-phone commercials before the previews, woman who sneaks a smelly three-course meal inside, children who incessantly ask questions throughout the film, people texting (you know you paid to watch this movie, right, and it's distracting those around you?!), young adult who takes infinity opening his noisy bag of who-the-hell-cares chips, etc. It's annoying. I'd rather wait a week or two and bask in the liberty to sit where I please, put my feet up without bothering anyone and read the credits without having people in my aisle waiting for me to get up and leave (just walk in front of me, I need to know who the director of photography was!)

Breakdown/Prediction of Oscar-nominated Documentaries

2014-02-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys!

So, I haven't shown any love to my blog in a while, apologies. I've recently been contributing to Awardscircuit.com, which I highly recommend you check out.

Anyway, I did a breakdown of this year's Oscar-nominated Documentaries and which one I think will take home top prize, if you're interested.

Thanks for reading, and I'll try to update this blog more often. Adios!

Oscar Circuit: Best Documentary Feature

Despite some upset over popular word-of-mouth documentaries like SeaWorld expose Blackfish and Sarah Polley’s deeply personal and acutely self-aware film Stories We Tell getting snubbed at the Academy Awards this year, the five nominees for Best Documentary Feature still stand strong.

The nominated documentary features include:

The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sorensen)
Cutie and the Boxer (Zachary Heinzerling and Lydia Dean Pilcher)
20 Feet from Stardom (Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen and Caitrin Rogers)
Dirty Wars (Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill)
The Square (Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer)

This year’s line-up offers a diverse selection. There are the politically-driven and visual-journalistic pieces like Dirty Wars and The Square. There’s the biographical and artsy Cutie and the Boxer about the life of a financially-struggling couple attempting to get their art exhibited in a high-stakes, high-competition medium. There’s also the commercially appealing, musical-tale 20 Feet from Stardom about the high’s and low’s of backup singers who clandestinely helped made the hits of some of American’s most known songs. Then there’s The Act of Killing which belongs in a category all to itself, and it’s this novelty to achieve something rarely done before that will probably help lock it as Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Oscar ceremony.

To read the rest over at awardscircuit.com, please click here.

New Blog!

2014-01-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Dear readers,

I've recently started a new blog over at wordpress.com and encourage ya'll to check it out and read my latest entry (a defense of Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street"), read here.

I want to try to expand and reach a larger audience and gain more readership. I will be posting film articles on my new blog but will still write reviews and continue to post content on this site.

Thank you to anyone who has been reading my reviews - it means a lot! And can't wait to share more content.

Cristina Lule

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

2013-12-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

Set at the beginning of a new decade, Ron Burgundy's return to the screen pits him against new hurdles - the biggest of which is the audience's struggle of having to adapt to a less funny version since the last time we saw this irreverent mustachioed persona.

With nearly a decade between Anchorman 2 and the first Anchorman, released in 2004, the spontaneity and novelty that made the latter quirky, surprising and hilarious turns into a paradigm that makes the former less refreshing and certainly not as funny. Recycled gags, ongoing jokes and familiar scenarios often become hackneyed. Perhaps Adam McKay, who co-wrote and directed both films, thought we'd forget how loud Steve Carell's voice could reach.

Despite some reused material, some of them are bound to hit home - Ron's (Will Ferrell) literal interpretation of a teleprompter is still effective. And there are some fresh faces and reunited familiar ones that make the film entertaining.

After his wife Veronica (Christina Applegate) is promoted and becomes the first female nightly news anchor, Ron is fired from co-anchoring with Veronica on a New York City news station. Ron has since moved from San Diego which no longer begets his famous catchphrase. After leaving Veronica when she refuses Ron's ultimatum of choosing between either him or her new position, Ron leaves both his wife and son Walter (Judah Nelson) and grudgingly accepts a grave-yard time slot on a 24 hour news channel.

Forced to start from scratch, Ron decides to hire his original crew. Some unsavory fast food revelations, a slow-motion RV crash, an oddly erotic cat shoot, and one funeral later, the four men that made the original so enjoyable to watch are reunited.

However, Ron soon discovers he has to compete with a younger, handsomer news anchor - Jack Lime (James Marsden) - for ratings; and his new boss, Linda Jackson (Megan Good), a confident African American woman, puts Ron at unease for just those reasons. Ron has to adjust to new social practices, while also adapting to new modules for news dissemination.

But, in a moment of realization (and a self reflexive one that best captures what this film attempts to accomplish) Ron pitches the idea of giving audiences not what they need but what they want. All hard news - and integrity - is swept under the rug for soft news TV broadcasting segments: high speed car chases, weather, cats, sports, and the real-time effects of cocaine use.

Moments such as these are probably what McKay and Ferrell (who co-wrote the film) intended to do from the beginning. Hidden behind all the farcical plots and absurd characters, there's a subtext which severely criticizes what news has become. The film comically exploits this notion and creates a buffoonery not just out of the news heads who fill the nightly news with fluff pieces, but the audiences who beg for it. This revelation is perhaps the film's most poignant moment (all shark ballads barred).

Of course, this idea is scarcely explored and blanketed by the less serious tones of the film. From meteorology to mythology, Anchorman 2 offers the same medley of TV news and oddball humor. In one scene the bigoted Champ Kind (David Koechner) takes over a sports segment and in a montage of baseball clips - single-handedly (and single-wordedly) demonstrates the absurdity and lack of finesse a sportscaster's job entails.

The film also introduces new characters, such as Gary (Greg Kinnear) Veronica's lover and Ron's new sworn enemy. His character is a gentle-hearted psychologist, who seems to be cannon fodder for Ron's vitriolic rebukes but makes a memorable appearance during the film's climax.

Kristen Wiig is introduced as Brick's (Carell) love interest and rightly so - another awkward counterpart would not have been as well suited (Kristen Schaal maybe?).

The most memorable and sybaritic scene of the film (and thus far in McKay's career) is the inevitable climax that echoes a scene in the first Anchorman film. It's an over-the-top scene that escalates into a macabre scenario with big-name comedy stars, big-name stars in general, and, in maintaining with McKay's style, the borderline preposterous yet always, amazingly, humorous nature in which things unfold.

It's not all drab. Anchorman 2 has some good material; Seeing what porno aficionado Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) has in his secret wall-compartment this time is just as amusing the first time. However, the film stalls a bit on jokes that seem not in tune such as when Ron meets his visibly ethnic boss and explicitly makes a point about it - this scene borrows a similar gag used in Austin Powers in Goldmember which is either a nice homage or terribly unoriginal.

And in keeping with the film's offensive material, there are spurs of discriminatory remarks that are often scurrilous, other times a bit uncomfortable. This is evident when Good's character brings Ron home to meet her parents and as his past impious remarks have proven - he can't censor his thoughts. And as always, Ron's sexist remarks interject with a bravado-like velocity during his and Veronica's arguments. But if the first one didn't offend you, this one won't make a dent in your moral sense.

To give this film some credit, it has a tall shadow that precedes it. The first Anchorman introduced audiences to the Scotch-loving news anchor, Brick's fondness of room decor and, wait for it......sex panther. In it's lack of expectations, it easily surpassed them. Here what we have is a film that's probably one of Ferrell's best comedic-performance since Step Brothers, but falls short under the massive cult-following the original has garnered in the nine years since its release.

Trite material aside, Anchorman 2 still succeeds in eliciting a good time - as long as one puts aside the expectation that this sequel can surpass the first in originality and hilarity.

Rating: B

Podcast

2013-12-12T09:17:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

For anyone interested, my first podcast with The Vern's Videovangaurd for As You Watch Pod (and my first podcast ever!) is finally up. We discuss Charlotte Gainsbourg, so if you're a fan of hers, enjoy the banter between film geeks or just want to know what I sound like you should check it out!
http://asyouwatch.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/season-3-episode-4-charlotte-gainsbourg/

*Spoiler: I sound like John Goodman

Cristina

The Sunshine Award

2013-11-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, so my fellow blog compadre Ben nominated me for a Sunshine Award, and I could not have been more shocked. Literally. I didn't even know they gave awards to bloggers. The Sunshine Award is an award given to bloggers by other bloggers to, you know, share the love. I am honored and will comply, somewhat, with the rules, which are as follows:

RULES
1. Include the award's logo in a post or on your blog.
2. Link to the person who nominated you.
3. Answer 10 questions about yourself (use these or come up with your own).
4. Nominate 10 bloggers.
5. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

QUESTIONS
1. WHY DO YOU BLOG?
Because I love writing and watching movies. Why not share the two on a free platform? It's also an amazing community to be a part of and share your interests and have great dialogues with others who also love what you love.

2. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
My only goal in life is to get paid to watch movies all day....and ride a unicorn into the sunset while Frank Zappa's Watermelon in Eastern Hay plays in the background. Since the latter is probably a no-go, I figured I'd make some investments in trying to be a film critic. I would love to write for Indiewire and cover all the major film festivals: Sundance, Toronto, Telluride, SXSW, Venice, Berlin, Cannes, etc., if only I could do it from home...

Winning.

3. FAVORITE DIRECTOR?
Pedro Almodovar. Hands down. If I were a director, his films are the type of films I would possibly want to make.

4. FAVORITE TV SHOW (CURRENTLY)?
R.I.P. Breaking Bad. Hmm...I don't know if I have one, so here are my must-see's every week: The Walking Dead, because - c'mon? Masters of Sex. A great new show this season; Michael Sheen is fantastic. American Horror Story, because I love that a show like this even exists and its anthology set-up makes for amazing seasonal casts. South Park - for always making me laugh at things we normally don't allow ourselves to laugh at in public. Also, House of Cards, Game of Thrones, The Newsroom, and my guilty pleasure - Long Island Medium.

This has been my desktop for the past 6 months.

5. FAVORITE MOVIE?
Out of all the questions, ever, this one I detest the most. I know it's weird, but I don't have one. Out of all the movies I've seen, you're telling me I have to pick one? It's disgusting. Instead, I will select one movie from major periods in my life, corresponding to my evolving love of film:
Jurassic Park: It encompasses everything I loved about films growing up and introduced me to entertainment cinema and larger-than-life spectacles.
American History X: I saw this in high school when I started getting into more independent film, with controversial subject matter.
12 Angry Men: After high school is when I started getting into classics. Henry Fonda's performance was mesmerizing to me.
Sans Soleil: This one represents my more recent period. I pick this Chris Marker film, because it took everything I ever loved and thought I knew about cinema, crumbled it up and tossed it in the trash. I hated movies for a while after I saw it, because it challenged what I believed to be true. It's haunting, lyrical, irritating and beautiful.

6. FAVORITE ACTORS/ACTRESSES STILL ALIVE AND WORKING?
Actresses: Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, Tilda Swinton, Natalie Portman
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Spacey, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender

7. FAVORITE FILM YOU STOP TO WATCH WHENEVER IT'S ON TV?
Mean Girls

You go Glen Coco!

8. A FILM YOU THINK IS UNDER-RATED?
I've also heard people say this film is over-rated. Whatev. In light of the news this past week of Andy Kaufman possibly having faked his own death, I give you Man on the Moon. I think this is Jim Carrey's best performance after Eternal Sunshine.

"You don't know the real me."

9. A DIRECTOR YOU ADMIRE BUT WOULDN'T WANT TO BE TRAPPED IN A ROOM WITH?
This is so random, I know, but Lars von Trier.

Ss-sca-sca-sca-scary!

10. FAVORITE MOVIE SO FAR THIS YEAR?
Instead of going with some obvious picks (Gravity, This is the End), I think I'll go with a few that aren't as recognized, but deserve to be seen: Trance, Only God Forgives, Fruitvale Station, I'm So Excited!, The Spectacular Now and Stoker. I know, I'm terrible at picking one. But this is my blog, after all. I do what I want!

I will only nominate four, to uphold my lack of conformity (and because everyone's moved to wordpress, apparently). Be honored, be very honored:
Angry Vader's Movie Blah...
The Reviewing Dead with Nate
A Film Junkie
Vits-ing the Movies

12 Years a Slave

2013-11-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

In this stark and boldly oppressive tale, the only thing perhaps more harrowing than the protagonist's journey to survive false enslavement and torture is director Steve McQueen's brazen way of depicting it in the most honest and, quite often, deeply uncomfortable, yet cinematically applaudable manner.

12 Years a Slave is based on the memoir of the same title by Solomon Northup - an African American, living in New York, who was born free, kidnapped, sold into slavery, and kept in bondage for 12 years in the antebellum South.

In the film, Solomon (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a talented violinist, is hoaxed by two men claiming to be searching for musicians, who escort him to dinner and take advantage of him in his inebriated state. Solomon wakes up chained to a wall and told that he is no longer a free man. The rest of the film follows his journey working under the ownership of different slave-holders for the next 12 years of his life.

Solomon's survival is fueled by his desire to reunite with his wife and two children in New York but is tested by his own intelligence and often fool-hardiness. Solomon is an intelligent man, who has to hide his literacy from each master. At times, his intelligence gets the best of him and challenges a vapid-minded white man for faulty instructions -- this scene is cheer-inducing in the short run, but breath-holding-ly painful in the long run.

McQueen (Shame, Hunger) is not shy with his depictions of slavery; Beatings, whippings, rapes, hangings and other tortures are shown explicitly and unapologetically. Like Shame and Hunger, McQueen employs the long-take to capture such heinous acts in the most realistic and uncomfortable manner. There's nothing docile or, in the opposite extreme, overtly-gratuitous for the sake of it in these scenes -- they just...are.

McQueen's camera is often poetic, even ironic, capturing the enticingly open Louisiana sky. In one scene, Ejiofor breaks the fourth wall, by looking at the camera in a slow sweeping gaze - Ejiofor's haunting and pleading eyes gaze at us for a few seconds, before looking off camera again. This is similar to a scene in McQueen's Shame, where his sex-addict protagonist stares at the camera during an unemotional three-some. It's heartbreaking.

The film lacks on exposition and characterization in the beginning. We only see a few scenes of Solomon with his family, before he is surreptitiously whisked away. That's expected, though, with a film encompassing a long narrative time frame. Solomon's sorrow and bereavement, however, are not lost on us, which is the crucial part.

What is astounding, however, are the gritty performances. Ejiofor has a solemn and serious disposition, disrupted by weighty outbursts. He is completely vulnerable - physically and emotionally. By the end of the film, he appears as a man who's been through Hell and back, but maybe that's his settlement. "I don't want to survive," he states. "I want to live."

Paul Dano plays Tibeats, a hot-headed slave driver who has it out for Solomon and sings a deplorably nasty song (that I hope doesn't catch on). Tibeats' volatile and creepy persona draw comparisons to Dano's performance in There Will Be Blood, where he played a God zealot with greedy intentions. Here, Dano's portrayal of such an abominable character is superb. Somehow, we've come to love to hate him.

Among the many wonderful performances, none come close to Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Edwin Epps, a cotton plantation owner and a drunk who takes joy in waking his slaves in the middle of the night and making them dance, tiredly, in his lavish Southern home. Fassbender's magnetic off-screen charm is completely lost here. Epps is a deranged man with little self control and his uneasy physical proxemics to his slaves make him all the more creepy.

Unfortunately the soundtrack is not as memorable. Hans Zimmer's score is, in the moment, potent but tragically forgettable thereafter. At best, it appropriately ornates the story without overpowering it. Sometimes the most powerful scenes are ones accompanied by deafening silence, because they're usually a cacophony of emotions.

At its worst, the film is long and depressing. At its best, it's emotional and unnerving. There's little sense of resolution or cause for joy at the end. There's nothing uplifting about this film but that's the point, isn't it? The melancholic ending demonstrates that there is little to erase the tragedies that have occurred.

There's no forgetting this film either. Each scene is like sipping a cold pint of Southern-brewed sobriety. By the end, we're intoxicated with our country's shameful history.

Rating: A

Movie Review: Only God Forgives

2013-07-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

Winding Refn Delivers another Art house-Style Crime/Drama

The film's opening scene establishes the viewer in a shady Bangkok underworld, effusing with drug smuggling, under-aged boxing matches, little to no dialogue - sans some Thai subtitles - and heavily under-lit shots. It's disorienting, rather than establishing. But director/writer Nicolas Winding Refn has already made a name for himself, cultivating independent films designed for a niche audience with an interest in aesthetic camera work that very often strays from mass market appeal.

Only God Forgives is no exception.

Winding Refn's last film Drive (2011) exemplifies the director's versatility, enveloping genres of a love-story and crime/drama in what many dubbed "art cinema." Or take, for example, his 2008 film Bronson, a violent tale of a convict in solitary confinement, with an alter ego who enjoys opera. While his films are arguably stylish, they have often been labeled as "style with no substance." However, it is not to say the former does not produce the latter. Though Winding Refn is often accused of focusing on aesthetics for lack of thought-provoking substance, his films speak visual volumes.

Only God Forgives is visually arousing. It pulsates with saturated colors - reds, yellows, greens - that bleed from the walls and room decor; the shadows are so dark and infinite, they lend an oddly nightmarish serene-like vibe as the film's protagonist walks past them in long tracking shots; and the sculptured masculine motifs help us illustratively arrive at the film's plot-line.

Julian (Ryan Gosling) and brother Billy (Tom Burke) are drug smugglers, running a drug ring in Bangkok, Thailand. When Billy is killed for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, Julian and his crew pursue the men responsible to avenge Billy's death. Julian's mother (Kristin Scott Thomas), a degenerate person in her own right, flies in from the states to watch her son take revenge for the murder of her first-born.

The film is a silent spectacle of meticulously staged sets, an easily unobserved supernatural and religious element, a stoic protagonist who eerily glides out of the shadows without word or, more apparently, context, and, we the audience, are forced to surrender a part of understanding or even identifying a narrative structure for being desensitized spectators watching sadist acts and having great patience in watching them slowly play out. But it's usually worth it.

Winding Refn has crafted a true villain with Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm), the corrupt cop who ordered Billy's murder. Winding Refn creates a Bangkok-noir type of climate, where officials like Chang have as deep a blood lust as the criminals they torpedo after (His motto should be "to protect and sever"). The director makes a point to juxtapose Chang's violent exhibits with poignant karaoke sessions. Chang's stage spotlights him like a suspect lineup as suited officers watch with a restrained disposition. But, as the title of the film implies, he's ultimately in control.

To convey Julian's character, Winding Refn indiscreetly plants macho paraphernalia everywhere - the workout stations, the murder tools, the fist-clenching and well endowed statues - that serve to remind Julian, and us, of his masculinity and tests his mental and physical limit to uphold it. His lack of facial expressions and the film's lack of close-up shots create an emotional distance that is perhaps necessary for such a film that lacks a true sense of the word "hero." Julian doesn't truly seek revenge; he seeks forgiveness for his past.

Winding Refn, focuses on extended arms and hands throughout the film - a symbolic reminder of sin - i.e.: fighting poses, clenched fists, mundane acts like hand washing, or just awkwardly outstretched as if searching for meaning. This representation may reflect religious struggles Gosling's character faces in understanding his environment. He is consumed by his peccadilloes.

The film, as mentioned, is mostly silent. To attempt to answer the underlying question of "style over substance" might be rudimentary at this point, but necessary. Winding Refn's images narrate themselves. The film's gritty and dapper mise-en-scene create it's own text. The film's story-telling lies in the dexterous hands of cinematographer Larry Smith, production designer Beth Mickle and the rest of the art and costume crew. The film's tale of revenge, masculinity and Freudian motivations reads clearer off the decor than the subtitles.

To some this might come across as an unfinished film (such as the guy sighing throughout the whole move which made me want to pull a Chang on him), but to a pair of diligent eyes, it comes across as something to examine. It's work, but the studying pays off if one wants to try to understand the plot.

This is not to say the film reserves its nugget of knowledge for an elite few. Only God Forgives is far from cinematic gold and may come across as presumptuous at times. Does Winding Refn fail to introduce Gosling's character and develop his arc or does he bravely entrust in us the challenge of figuring it out ourselves?

Winding Refn is no pioneer in the screenwriting department, but at least his films are always entertaining, if not, at least, pictorially rewarding. Only God Forgives won't be rewarding for everyone, but to say a lack of substance is the main flaw of the film, might mean a second watch is necessary.

Rating: B+

'The End' Kicks off Summer with Laughs

2013-06-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Summer has just begun and This is the End may have already locked best summer comedy. With cheeky pop-culture references and an A-list cast who play exaggerated and slightly demented versions of themselves, the film may be the comedy audiences have been anticipating this summer.*

Although the plot is expectedly absurd and dismally present, it offers plenty of laughs and high-spirited fun during moments of stagnation with neon hued drug effects, enactments of fictional sequels, verbal confrontations over magazine entitlement and (not so) private video confessionals.

Jay Baruchel arrives in L.A. and meets up with pal Seth Rogen. When Seth gets invited to James Franco's house party, he drags along a reluctant Jay who doesn't want to mingle with other Hollywood-ians - especially not the insufferably affectionate Jonah Hill. All is going well; blunts are shared, Craig Robinson starts singing "Take Yo Panties Off," and the value of phallic art is appreciated. But when mysterious phenomena occurs, some of the party-goers lock themselves up in James' house. As they try to clarify the events that are taking place, they learn a lot about one another and how their life-styles have contributed to their predicament.

The party in the film brings together many familiar faces from past comedies and a few famous names, such as Rihanna and Emma Watson.

If This is the End brings to mind a Judd Apatow film, it's because it contains almost every major actor Apatow has worked in his past few films.** The only, yet quite noticeable, difference is a lack of a well-structured story in the former's case.

To say that this is where the film blunders is to erroneously underestimate writer/director team Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's - and the rest of the cast, especially - talent. Such as in many of Apatow's films, Rogen's comedic craft works best in an environment where improvisation and meta-humor drive the film, rather than the script.

Whether the actors stuck to a very authentic-feeling script or were allowed to ad-lib (which seems like the most likely case), the humor felt fresh and the characters catered to the actors' both on and off-screen persona.

The film makes reference to Rogen and Franco's early career on Freaks and Geeks (which Apatow directed and wrote a few episodes), with wall art of the series in Franco's home and a deep-rooted friendship between the two that visibly bothers Jay throughout the film.

Seeing Baruchel step up to the forefront of the group he usually blends into was a refreshing change, if, however, not as compelling to watch as some of his co-stars.

Most notable was watching Franco play a vain, materially-oriented version of himself. Most of us have heard a story or two of Franco coming off as self-absorbed. Seeing him take on this version of himself was an appreciated gesture.

Danny McBride offered the same profanity-spewing, (most) immoral character of the bunch. His magazine hogging ways may not have been that different from past roles, but his cocky rebuttals were arguably some of the best lines in the film.

Also worth mentioning are Jonah Hill and Michael Cera for playing characters we're not used to seeing. Hill for not reverting back to his pompous, (although fake) Hollywood elite attitude (like he did when he hosted SNL earlier this year) and Cera for departing from his polite, good-guy image and playing a memorable drug-using party boy (Caprisun anyone?)

However, without the hilarity of such moments the film would collapse on a barely-there plot and over-the-top theme given the realist approach from the actors to such events.

It's not the conventional story-line we're used to seeing from some of Apatow's films - and the sharing of actors is the only cause of comparison - but the laughs it elicits are in the same ball park.

Seth Rogen returns to the director's chair, alongside longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg (who made his directorial debut with this film) who co-wrote and co-directed with Rogen.

The duo previously worked on films, such as The Watch, The Green Hornet, Pineapple Express, Superbad and the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy series Da Ali G Show together.

The film also stars Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kevin Hart, David Krumholtz, Martin Starr, Jason Segel and others.

This is the End is not for everyone. It caters to a sharp-witted, young demographic that's old enough to know a show like Freaks and Geeks existed, but young enough to still laugh at celebrated male body parts. For anyone who lands as an outlier of this targeted audience, it's at least worth checking out.

Rating: B

*Although The Hangover Part III has already earned over $275 million worldwide, according to boxofficemojo.com, since its release last month, it has earned dismal praise from both critics and fans. The film has a critic rating of 20 percent on rottentomatoes.com and an average of 6/10 star rating on IMDb.com. Currently, This is the End has an average of 8/10 star rating on IMDb.com, an 84 percent critic rating on rottentomatoes.com and, most importantly, a B from this amateur critic.

** For fun, here is a list of Judd Apatow films (directed, written, created, produced, etc.) and other projects This is the End actors have co-starred in:

Freaks and Geeks: Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and James Franco.
Undeclared: Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Hart and David Krumholtz.
The 40-year-old Virgin: Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Mindy Kaling and Kevin Hart.
Knocked Up: Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Martin Starr, Craig Robinson and James Franco.
Superbad: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogen, David Krumholtz, Martin Starr and Danny McBride.
Pineapple Express: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson.
Funny People: Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Aziz Ansari.

Review: The Great Gatsby

2013-05-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

To read the full review at statehornet.com please click here.

Review: Iron Man 3

2013-05-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

To read the full review at statehornet.com please click here.

Review: Pain and Gain

2013-05-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the full review at statehornet.com

Movie Review: Oblivion

2013-04-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Read the full review at statehornet.com by clicking here.

Review: Scary Movie 5

2013-04-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Please click here to read the full review at statehornet.com.
You won't regret it.

Review: Jurassic Park in 3D

2013-04-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

Please check out the review at statehornet.com by clicking here you won't regret it.

Review: No

2013-03-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Please click here to read the full review at statehornet.com.

Movie Review: Stoker

2013-03-23T11:38:00.001-07:00

Stoker's Production more captivating than the Story

Fans of Korean Director Chan-wook Park rejoiced last week, with the premiere of Stoker - his debut into American cinema. Park, of cult-classic Oldboy fame, brings his same storytelling approach to this cerebral thriller.

After the death of her father, India (Mia Wasikowska) and her mother (Nicole Kidman) share their home with India's Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) whom she did not know existed until her father's funeral. Charlie begins exhibiting unusual behavior - which is saying something, considering Mia and her mother aren't exactly normal themselves - and sparks Mia's curiosity, while, at the same time, has her maintain a distance from the uncle she barely knows.

The story, while highly entertaining, is nothing imaginatively inventive. Written by Wentworth Miller - yes, Michael from Prison Break - Stoker is a thriller revolving around a family drama. There are points during the film, where one can predict a character's actions or a future event. Even the high school bullies revert to the stereotypical cliche. What makes the film a must-see is Park's interpretation of it. His stylized directing and finesse attention to detail give this film, while not in the same caliber as Oldboy, his trademark stamp of morbidly creepy and sensational approach to story-telling.

The film maintains a chronological story-line, for the most part, but is packed with premeditated images that act as a prelude for things to come and a clue for things that have already occurred. The film begins with Wasikowska's character standing on the side of a road. Why she is there, we do not know but trust that Park will carefully navigate us back to that moment with added clarity.

As mentioned, the story is nothing original - it could have easily played out like the humdrum studio thriller we see too often, but the care that went into translating the story to screen is something to be admired. The sound design is so bizarrely brilliant; its unnatural approach to sound analysis breaks our conventional understanding of its use - it wakes us from our conformist reverie with staccato-like alarm that disrupts this pattern of thinking and begs us to pay close attention to the most seemingly miniscule detail. In one scene, we see India play the piano along to a metronome - a device used to help players stay in tempo - then go upstairs, while her uncle and mother are gone. As she goes through her uncle's belongings, we hear the metronome's loud metrical ticks echo loudly and ominously through the house; it mimmicks an accelerated heartbeat and adds to the anxiety and anticipation of her family's expected arrival before she can see what Charlie is hiding in his bag, (this scene, itself, is not entirely original, but why would I want to spoil the best parts?) This is aided by a more melodious score by Clint Mansell, which adequately captures the eerie mood and unexpected beauty of the film's dark nature.

The cinematography, by Chung-hoon Chung, also adds a bizarre beauty to the film. In fact, it's almost distracting in how much more attractive the image is than the story, we don't mind thinking we know where things are heading; we just want to see how it will visually play out.

This was also due to Park's framing of scenes. His employment of using the camera as a male gaze was reminiscent of Spanish Director Pedro Almodovar's heavy use of it in his films. Throughout Stoker, we see Wasikowska framed only at the feet, or a section of her body or face. This fetish framework works for the story and helps visually illustrate India's transformation in the film. The film is highly sexualized, both narratively and visually. Visually speaking, the sexual nature of the film lies in the hands of Park and how he forces this concept on to us. We don't often see its visceral disposition play out, but we construct the idea in our minds from Park's metaphorical representations.

Wasikowska's performance was quite the departure from the classy image she has maintained thus far in her career. She's no Alice in Wonderland here. India is moody, a bit unstable like her mother and, most certainly, unpredictable. Wasikowska leads this film with unprecedented confidence, for being such a young actress, and handles the heavy subject-matter like a pro. She plays well off Kidman, the definition of a pro, to give us a shattered mother-daughter relationship. India and her mother never got along, and Charlie's presence in the home only complicates their relationship. Kidman brings her A-game and a heated discussion adds for one of the most intense scenes in the film (watch here). Goode - while not in the same caliber as Kidman or even Wasikowska, as she has now proved - adequately fit the role of a creepy uncle. It was hard believing Goode had bad intentions behind those gorgeous blue eyes, but his performance most surely sufficed. His scenes with Wasikowska were especially captivating, filled with unpleasant moments of tension, which made it ironically pleasant to watch them act together.

The film also stars Jacki Weaver, Dermot Mulroney, Lucas Till, Phyllis Somerville, Harmony Korine (the director of Spring Breakers) and Alden Ehrenreich.

While not the most original thriller, Stoker manages the rare ability to captivate us from beginning to end. It's mesmerizing images and unusual, but effective use of sound, cinematography and other technical maneuvers I shamefully went without acknowledging, make this film a surreal and wonderful experience to sit through.

Stoker may not leave the same impression that Oldboy did, but its haunting images no doubt leave its mark well after the credits have rolled, leaving us staring at a white screen that bares no trace of its images that have now trespassed into our minds and continue to linger there.

Rating: A-

Review: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

2013-03-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

Click here to check out the review at statehornet.com.

Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

2013-03-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

Disney's prequel to the 1939 classic starring Judy Garland dares to match the visually striking technicolor, but fails to capture the magic of it with a pale story.

Click here to read the full review at statehornet.com

Review: Jack the Giant Slayer

2013-03-02T13:46:00.002-08:00

Based on the English folktale, "Jack the Giant Slayer" doesn't quite live up to our expectations set by our childhood memories of this beloved story.

To read the full at statehornet.com click here.

Review: Dark Skies

2013-02-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

When a seemingly normal suburban family is plagued by strange phenomena in their home their search to uncover the truth leads them to believe their lives may be in danger.

To read my full review at statehornet.com click here.

Review: Safe Haven

2013-02-20T23:13:00.002-08:00

Click here to read my review of "Safe Haven" at statehornet.com and give my college paper's site some love.

"Sleepwalk with me" offers insight into Comedian's Psyche

2013-02-14T21:03:00.001-08:00

"Mike Birbiglia, better known for his Comedy Central stand up, wrote and directed an autobiographical film about becoming a comedian, while coping with a sleep disorder."

Hey, guys, so I recently began contributing to Yuppee Magazine, which is a great way to get your content on the web and gain experience, as well as readership.
I can't post the entire review on my blog, because of Google copyright issues and I believe some sniper is watching me from the neighboring roof, ready to shoot if I break their terms of agreement and blah, blah, blah, but if you wan't to continue reading, click here.

You can also read some of my reviews that I contribute to my college newspaper at: statehornet.com My first one for "Safe Haven" should be up soon.

Sincerely,
CL

DVD Review: "Safety" a Guaranteed Good Time

2013-01-25T16:44:00.000-08:00

First things first. I don't review every movie I see--that'd be crazy, you guys--but I do make an effort to review the movies I feel are important to talk about. But when you rent a movie to watch with your friends over the weekend and end up watching it again the next day and then can't stop thinking about it for the proceeding couple of days, yeah, I think it's worth sharing.

Safety Not Guaranteed is that rare indie/comedy that I believe manages to please most people. It has an off-beat charm and equally charming off-beat characters that make us laugh and want to be in their circle of company. It surprises by having a genuine feel to it and a heart that I can't say I find in a lot of films these days. And did I mention the time-traveling thing? But at the center of the film, there's nothing science fiction about it.

When a Seattle journalist (Jake Johnson) takes on a story about a man who puts up an ad seeking a time travel partner, he entails the help of two interns, "I'll take the Indian and the lesbian," he says, played by Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Rec) and Karan Soni. They drive out to an ocean side motel, expecting to find a schizophrenic-type mad man and instead find Kenneth (Mark Duplass), a seemingly normal guy, working at Bargain Outlet who believes he can time travel. Darius (Plaza) takes up Kenneth's offer and a few quirky verbal exchanges and strategic canned soup placement and Kenneth senses Darius worthy of partnership. However the deadline for the story quickly approaches and Darius is no closer to discovering what the man she's been spending so much time with is hiding.

The film works because it's well casted. Plaza and Duplass work amazing well together. He adds charm and yet harbors an austere, yet thoughtful side that gives his character so much dimension, you'd think he was playing a real person. And Plaza's trademark deadpan is only part of the fun in watching her. The rest relies on seeing her be unguarded for the first time. There's a scene, early on, where she's having dinner with her father (Jeff Garlin) and as funny as she is, you know there's a no-nonsense side we're going to see from her. My favorite character, however, was Johnson's Jeff, a womanizing magazine writer who drinks on the job and has more interest in reestablishing a connection with his high school sweet heart than getting the story. Jeff is crude, unprofessional, and unreliable, but his storyline is so crucial and his character is so likable you can't help but feel empathetic when he's upset. My most memorable scene from the film is when Jeff takes his shy intern to meet girls and they spend an evening at a fair. It sounds fun and comical, but Jeff's drunken stupor and childish behavior, all to the tune of Wye Oak's Civilian, make this scene more sobering and powerful than I expected it to.

But most sobering of all, was the realization that Guaranteed had little to nothing to do with time travel, although I'm sure the film will have people talking (think not so much Looper but more of Brit Marling's Another Earth and Sound of My Voice). The real time travel are the journeys these characters take forward with each other. Or in some cases, the time they spend still living in the past.

The film marks writer Derek Connolly's first feature film--and what a debut! I look forward to his future projects. Connolly re-teamed with director Colin Trevorrow; the two previously worked on the TV movie Gary: Under Crisis and Safety marks Trevorrow's first feature film, as well. Duplass also teamed up with frequent collaborator and brother Jay to executive produce the film. My only complaint was the decision to shoot this digitally, which made for some unpleasant exposure issues, but when you're working with a budget of less an $1 million, forgiveness comes easy.

Sometimes you spend an entire year looking forward to films from favorite directors like David O'Russell, Quentin Tarantino, Ben Affleck (hey, I didn't say favorite actor), Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and Paul Thomas Anderson, you don't expect anything from a movie like this, which makes it all the more surprising and unforgettable when you do experience it (no weapons necessary, promise). I can't guarantee you'll love it, but I can guarantee I'll love it just as much the next time I watch it.

I also just wanted to thank Eric over at PMI (don't know him, just a big fan) for loving movies just as much as I do and for convincing me I couldn't wait any longer to see this film. Thanks Eric (even though you'll never read this.) And I want to thank anyone reading this for indulging me in what I love to do, even if you hate what I have to say. Thanks sooooooo much anyway.

Rating: A-