Sunday, August 2, 2009
Funny People Discussion
Once again, Sam forgets how on the same page Jordan is with his view of movies. Sam's got some 'splainin to do about why he gave it a lower grade than Jordan....
Sam's Review: Funny People
It seems as though Judd Apatow’s Funny People had years of reputation going against it. Apatow has brought some of the best comedies of the 00’s, not to mention a couple of comedies that were too funny to have a long shelf life.
Leading up to this final installment in Apatow’s “trilogy” (40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up), we’ve learned that his films are often comprised of hilarious improve and great pop-culture references. This is not that type of movie. But that is not such a bad thing; well, maybe for the people who didn’t get the memo. For all our reader out there, Funny people is a DRAMA. Yes, they may say it’s a comedy or bend a little and say it’s a dramedy, but it is, in my mind, a drama. It may throw some people because it includes some of the funniest people in show business at the moment. It also happens to be about comedians so of course there will be jokes, but at the heart of Funny People is a story about mortality, loneliness, the price of fame, and cock jokes.
The story starts out with an famous comedic actor, George Simmons (Adam Sandler), finding out he has a rare form of leukemia. Hilarious, right? He starts doing stand-up again and really goes into the depths of his unhappiness (word on the street is that comedians are unhappy folk). He pines for his lost love (Leslie Mann) and even reaches out to an up-and-coming comic named Ira (Seth Rogen). Rogen is hired to write jokes and be his assistant, but quickly becomes Sandler’s confidant in this part of his life.
Luckily Sandler recovers from the disease and tries to get back with Mann who is currently married to hunky Aussie Clarke (Eric Bana). In this part of the movie, things seemed to feel dragged down by the courtship of Mann. But it was good to see things went the correct, logical direction rather than the typical uber-fantasy of the movies.
While the Mann courtship held the movie down and likely made it longer than it should have (a surprisingly common complaint amongst Apatow films even though I thought Knocked Up was perfect in length) the performances throughtout the movie were surprisingly strong. Leslie Mann did a great job and proves that she is not just there (but probably is) because she is married to the director (what a lucky motherfucker, I digress). Sandler proved touching and went beyond is wacky shaba-do’s. Rogen did a solid job and really sold me as a stand-up and real person thrust into this crazy situation.
Of course there were some laughs, but that’s not what I’m taking away from this clearly very personal movie. It’s all of the things about being in comedy: working to get a laugh, bombing, writing material, whoring yourself for a shitty sitcom that made me intrigued. There will no doubt be the people that are shocked that it wasn’t hilarious on the level of Knocked Up but I say, fuck ‘em. Apatow did a great job at making me care about these funny people and their pretty serious lives.
B+
Notes:
-Great cameos from tons of comics
-Patton Oswalt and Brian Posehn wrote a lot of the material Ira, George, and the
other fake stand-ups used in the movie. The “ball cleavage” throw-away line is right out of Posehn’s act.
-Mad props to Aziz Ansari for portraying RAAAAAAAAAANDY, AKA, Dane Cook
-Speaking of “Mad” there were three Mad Men references, two of them came in a row! They came in the form of cameos by Bryan Batt (played the agent) and Maggie Siff (played J-Date girl). The third reference I’m goin’ out on a limb but it was Ira’s real last name Wiener, but pronounced WHY-ner, like mad men creator Matthew Weiner.
-Sandler’s bit on the piano at the comedy club was heart breaking and surprisingly well directed by Apatow and Sandler’s speech at Thanksgiving made me really shocked at how Sandler really is the old school comic actor now, as he’s surrounded by the next generation.
-New thing I’m gonna do, it’s called what I think Jordan will give the movie. This is tough but I think he probably liked it a bit less than I did, lets say B-.
Leading up to this final installment in Apatow’s “trilogy” (40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up), we’ve learned that his films are often comprised of hilarious improve and great pop-culture references. This is not that type of movie. But that is not such a bad thing; well, maybe for the people who didn’t get the memo. For all our reader out there, Funny people is a DRAMA. Yes, they may say it’s a comedy or bend a little and say it’s a dramedy, but it is, in my mind, a drama. It may throw some people because it includes some of the funniest people in show business at the moment. It also happens to be about comedians so of course there will be jokes, but at the heart of Funny People is a story about mortality, loneliness, the price of fame, and cock jokes.
The story starts out with an famous comedic actor, George Simmons (Adam Sandler), finding out he has a rare form of leukemia. Hilarious, right? He starts doing stand-up again and really goes into the depths of his unhappiness (word on the street is that comedians are unhappy folk). He pines for his lost love (Leslie Mann) and even reaches out to an up-and-coming comic named Ira (Seth Rogen). Rogen is hired to write jokes and be his assistant, but quickly becomes Sandler’s confidant in this part of his life.
Luckily Sandler recovers from the disease and tries to get back with Mann who is currently married to hunky Aussie Clarke (Eric Bana). In this part of the movie, things seemed to feel dragged down by the courtship of Mann. But it was good to see things went the correct, logical direction rather than the typical uber-fantasy of the movies.
While the Mann courtship held the movie down and likely made it longer than it should have (a surprisingly common complaint amongst Apatow films even though I thought Knocked Up was perfect in length) the performances throughtout the movie were surprisingly strong. Leslie Mann did a great job and proves that she is not just there (but probably is) because she is married to the director (what a lucky motherfucker, I digress). Sandler proved touching and went beyond is wacky shaba-do’s. Rogen did a solid job and really sold me as a stand-up and real person thrust into this crazy situation.
Of course there were some laughs, but that’s not what I’m taking away from this clearly very personal movie. It’s all of the things about being in comedy: working to get a laugh, bombing, writing material, whoring yourself for a shitty sitcom that made me intrigued. There will no doubt be the people that are shocked that it wasn’t hilarious on the level of Knocked Up but I say, fuck ‘em. Apatow did a great job at making me care about these funny people and their pretty serious lives.
B+
Notes:
-Great cameos from tons of comics
-Patton Oswalt and Brian Posehn wrote a lot of the material Ira, George, and the
other fake stand-ups used in the movie. The “ball cleavage” throw-away line is right out of Posehn’s act.
-Mad props to Aziz Ansari for portraying RAAAAAAAAAANDY, AKA, Dane Cook
-Speaking of “Mad” there were three Mad Men references, two of them came in a row! They came in the form of cameos by Bryan Batt (played the agent) and Maggie Siff (played J-Date girl). The third reference I’m goin’ out on a limb but it was Ira’s real last name Wiener, but pronounced WHY-ner, like mad men creator Matthew Weiner.
-Sandler’s bit on the piano at the comedy club was heart breaking and surprisingly well directed by Apatow and Sandler’s speech at Thanksgiving made me really shocked at how Sandler really is the old school comic actor now, as he’s surrounded by the next generation.
-New thing I’m gonna do, it’s called what I think Jordan will give the movie. This is tough but I think he probably liked it a bit less than I did, lets say B-.
Jordan's Review: Funny People
There is little doubt that Judd Apatow is a very funny man. What people seem to forget, however, is that he very adeptly gets at the real human emotion beneath the punch lines and quips his characters trade. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is hilarious on its face, but beneath the humor is a story about a lonely man yearning to find something to give his life meaning. Knocked Up is a story about two people struggling to fall in love, or determine whether that’s even a possibility, in the face of an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy. So it should come as no surprise that Apatow’s newest film, Funny People ,is not all about the laughs.
The movie opens with George Simmons (Adam Sandler) wandering through a life of vast riches made off of wildly successful and horribly unfunny movies, looking back at his stand-up roots and wondering where it all went wrong. His introspection is fueled by the discovery that he has a rare form of leukemia and is likely about to die. This leads him to try to break back into stand-up and to try and reconnect with Laura (Leslie Mann), “the one who got away.” After bombing a set at the Improv, Simmons meets Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) a struggling comedian looking for a break. Simmons hires Ira to write some jokes for him, and eventually to be his assistant. Ira and George are perfect foils—Ira is young, optimistic, and unabashedly enthused about the opportunity to open for Simmons, while George is aging, cynical, and unable to find joy except in ripping down others.
Ira lives with other young comedians, Leo (Jonah Hill) who is just finding his way on the stand-up circuit, and Mark (Jason Schwartzman) who can’t help but rub his newfound success on a less than stellar sitcom in his roommates face. Ira also pursues an abortive romance with the adorably acerbic Daisy (Aubrey Plaza), but his time is increasingly absorbed by George who realizes he is profoundly alone in his sickness.
Adam Sandler plays Simmons with subtlety and sadness—he knows he has made mistakes and squandered his life, and worries he may not have time to solve his problems. So he tries to make nice with his family, spend time with his “friends” (including cameos by Andy Dick, Paul Reiser, George Wallace, Norm Macdonald and Eminem) and win back his lost love, who is now married to Australian Clarke (Eric Bana) and has two delightful children (the increasingly impressive Apatow children).
Funny People examines the issues that plague comedians—the insecurities, the cynicism, the dark outlooks, and it isn’t always pleasant to watch. George Simmons is a profoundly unhappy man and uses his humor as a defense mechanism, cutting down others before they have a chance to see his flaws. Real, affecting, and at times ferociously funny, the movie never goes for the cheap laughs. It often allows us to feel the tensions of a comedian whose set is failing, and it never lets us forget what it is that makes funny people funny. If the movie has one flaw, it is that the movie has too many characters, and so often seems to be ignoring people we want to spend more time with. Plaza has created a hilarious and fascinating romantic interest, Schwartzman is perfectly arrogant in his moderate success, and Hill is flat out hilarious, yet each is often forgotten throughout the movies sprawling run time. The focus is on Simmons, but I can’t help but wish the movie had let us linger over the fantastic supporting cast for a bit longer. In the end, however, Apatow has made another very funny film, and one that allows us to question the roots of comedy, and the path we all take to find our own happiness.
Grade: A-
The movie opens with George Simmons (Adam Sandler) wandering through a life of vast riches made off of wildly successful and horribly unfunny movies, looking back at his stand-up roots and wondering where it all went wrong. His introspection is fueled by the discovery that he has a rare form of leukemia and is likely about to die. This leads him to try to break back into stand-up and to try and reconnect with Laura (Leslie Mann), “the one who got away.” After bombing a set at the Improv, Simmons meets Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) a struggling comedian looking for a break. Simmons hires Ira to write some jokes for him, and eventually to be his assistant. Ira and George are perfect foils—Ira is young, optimistic, and unabashedly enthused about the opportunity to open for Simmons, while George is aging, cynical, and unable to find joy except in ripping down others.
Ira lives with other young comedians, Leo (Jonah Hill) who is just finding his way on the stand-up circuit, and Mark (Jason Schwartzman) who can’t help but rub his newfound success on a less than stellar sitcom in his roommates face. Ira also pursues an abortive romance with the adorably acerbic Daisy (Aubrey Plaza), but his time is increasingly absorbed by George who realizes he is profoundly alone in his sickness.
Adam Sandler plays Simmons with subtlety and sadness—he knows he has made mistakes and squandered his life, and worries he may not have time to solve his problems. So he tries to make nice with his family, spend time with his “friends” (including cameos by Andy Dick, Paul Reiser, George Wallace, Norm Macdonald and Eminem) and win back his lost love, who is now married to Australian Clarke (Eric Bana) and has two delightful children (the increasingly impressive Apatow children).
Funny People examines the issues that plague comedians—the insecurities, the cynicism, the dark outlooks, and it isn’t always pleasant to watch. George Simmons is a profoundly unhappy man and uses his humor as a defense mechanism, cutting down others before they have a chance to see his flaws. Real, affecting, and at times ferociously funny, the movie never goes for the cheap laughs. It often allows us to feel the tensions of a comedian whose set is failing, and it never lets us forget what it is that makes funny people funny. If the movie has one flaw, it is that the movie has too many characters, and so often seems to be ignoring people we want to spend more time with. Plaza has created a hilarious and fascinating romantic interest, Schwartzman is perfectly arrogant in his moderate success, and Hill is flat out hilarious, yet each is often forgotten throughout the movies sprawling run time. The focus is on Simmons, but I can’t help but wish the movie had let us linger over the fantastic supporting cast for a bit longer. In the end, however, Apatow has made another very funny film, and one that allows us to question the roots of comedy, and the path we all take to find our own happiness.
Grade: A-
Monday, July 27, 2009
Feature: Jordan's Movie Quest: the Year 2002
Continuing my quest through the last decade of film, here are my top ten movies of 2002, including a blurb on each:
10. 28 Days Later—Director Danny Boyle (of the fantastic Trainspotting and the fantastically over rated Slumdog Millionaire) creates an entirely different take on the zombie film. When crazy hippy animal rights activists insist on freeing some really mad monkeys, they also unleash RAGE, a virus that turns anyone who comes into contact with it into a bloodthirsty, angry, mindless, killing machine. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma in a world already mostly devoid of human life. The film captures perfectly the sense of dread that fills him as he explores an abandoned London, and the realistic terror that follows when he discovers that he’s surrounded by hordes of flesh hungry zombies. Not only among the best zombie movies I’ve ever seen, but also among the best (albeit one of the most cynical) examinations of human nature in the face of chaos ever made.
9. About A boy— Will (Hugh Grant) is a selfish, sarcastic, carefree playboy living off of royalties from a song his father wrote decades ago. That is, until pretending to have an infant son to score with single mothers saddles him with an adolescent boy (Nicholas Hoult) in need og guidance after his wayward mother (Toni Collette) attempts suicide. Throw in Will’s development of actual feelings for Rachel (Rachel Weisz) and you have the makings for an incredibly clichéd coming of age film. Instead, with a script adapted from Nick Hornby’s insightful novel and a soundtrack by the soulful Badly Drawn Boy, what results is an insightful look at what creates bonds between people, and the things that allow us to finally grow up.
8. Bubba Ho-Tep—An elderly Elvis (Bruce Campbell) and a black JFK (Ossie Davis) fight a mummy that is slaughtering the denizens of the old folks home they share. If it sounds like the most ridiculous plot you’ve ever heard, it is—and it’s also one of the most touching stories on aging and human mortality ever to fit neatly within the B-movie genre. After the King switches places with a popular Elvis impostor to live a normal life for a while, the impostor goes and dies on him, leaving him stranded in his life of normalcy. Flash forward a few decades, and the aged king is having trouble with his “pecker” and with convincing the nurses that treat him that he is in fact the rock and roll master he claims to be. The only man that believes him is an elderly black man who claims to be a skin-dyed JFK. He also claims that a mummy is causing the uptick in deaths among the patients in the home by sucking their souls out of their anuses. At once hilarious, heartbreaking, bittersweet, and utterly cheesy, Bubba Ho-Tep will surprise you by how much it affects you, even long after the credits roll.
7. Road to Perdition—Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a hit man in the Irish mafia, working under the harsh, but kind John Rooney (Paul Newman) during the great depression. Rooney’s son Connor (Daniel Craig) is a ruthless son of a bitch, desperate to take power. When Michael’s son Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) witnesses a hit, Connor has Michael’s family killed. Michael Jr. manages to survive and father and son head out on the road to escape and find peace. As they travel, the younger Michael learns what kind of man his father is, and discovers the hard learned truth that no one, not even a father, can be defined in black and white terms. Sam Mendes( American Beauty, Away We Go) directs the film as both a taut gangster thriller and a touching look at a relationship between father and son.
6. Secretary—Lee Holloway (Maggie Gylenhaal) has just been released from a mental institution for attempting suicide. While trying to get back on her feet, she takes a job as a secretary with the cold, distant E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Lee and her boss become closer, however, when he starts to treat her as his own personal erotic slave. Definitely not a movie to watch with the parents, Secretary manages to be both incredibly erotic and amazingly romantic. Sure Edward might whip Lee with a riding crop, force her to crawl around the office and dictate exactly how many peas she can eat for dinner, but he also shows her that she has worth as a human being and gives her something to live for in the process. Unconventional? Absolutely. But also a very touching romantic comedy that proves love doesn’t always fit into the form we envision.
5. About Schmidt—Days after he finally retires, Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is confronted with the fact that he has no idea how to run his own life after his wife dies unexpectedly. Lost and falling apart without his wife to take care of him, Warren buys a motor home and decides to visit his daughter (Hope Davis) in time to stop her from marrying the unsophisticated Randall (Dermot Mulroney). Instead he finds himself laid up with an injured back, being taken care of by his future in-law, the sexually uninhibited Roberta (Kathy Bates). Warren realizes he has wasted his life and become a miserable old man, only to wonder if he still has time to turn it all around. Alexander Payne directs this meditation on turning a life around, and the struggle it takes to win over people you’ve dismissed for decades.
4. Punch Drunk Love—pudding, frequent flyer miles, Mormon phone sex operators and a harpsichord all come together in this offbeat romantic comedy from wunderkind Paul Thomas Anderson. Barry Egan (Adam Sandler, in easily his best performance) has been brow beaten by his overbearing sisters his entire life. Meek, unassuming and prone to bouts of uncontrolled rage, Barry finds solace in the voice of a phone sex worker who treats him with respect, and in a loophole that allows him to trade in pudding packs for unlimited frequent flyer miles. His life is thrown into disarray when the woman on the other end of the phone starts extorting him for money, and his sister insists on setting him up with the mysterious Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). Watching Barry fight his way through awkward encounters, neuroses, and a very angry mattress proprietor (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) provides for one of the most whimsical, disjointed romantic comedies of the decade, and possibly the most unique film in Anderson’s cannon (which is saying something).
3.In America—After the tragic death of their son, Johnny (Paddy Considine) and Sarah (the Oscar nominated Samantha Morton) immigrate from their Irish home to America with their daughters Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger). After sneaking across the border, their lives are a mixture of whimsy and near poverty. Narrated by Christy, the film is a journey—of the family from Ireland to America, from grief to acceptance, and from estrangement to reconnection for Johnny and Sarah. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking, the film allows you to revel in the adorable children and their hilarious antics while also worrying over how the family will support itself and grieving over the loss of the family’s youngest member. Directed by Jim Sheridan (who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay), the film also contains an Oscar nominated performance by Djimon Honsou, as a neighbor who may help the family get back on track.
2. Talk To Her—When his girlfriend (Rosario Flores) is injured in a bull fight and lapses into a coma, Marco (Dario Grandinetti) begins spending time at her side in the hospital. There he meets Benigno (Javier Camara) who is watching over his beloved Alicia (Leonor Watling), also in a coma. Pedro Almodovar (All About My Mother, Volver) directs this story of the nature of love, the bonds that cannot be broken, and the perversities that our feelings can drive us to. Talk To Her never shies away from the truth, whether that truth be heartbreaking, horrifying or ultimately enlightening.
1. Adaptation—Writer Charlier Kaufman strikes brilliance yet again in this tale of writer Charlie Kaufman (Oscar nominee Nicholas Cage) attempting to adapt the unadaptable book The Orchid Thief by elusive journalist Susan Orlean (Oscar nominee Meryl Streep). Kaufman is too caught up in his own insecurities, both creative and romantic, to actually make progress on the adaptation, and he begins to write himself into the screenplay. His brother Donald (also Nicholas Cage) is there to lend a helping hand, but his tastes are a tad too Hollywood for Charlie. As the Kaufman’s look into Orlean’s life and her relationship with the enigmatic and fascinating orchid poacher John Laroche (the Oscar winner Christ Cooper, never better than here) the narrative devolves as Kaufman struggles to complete his second screenplay and maintain his fraying life in the process. Also nominated for best adapted screenplay (as it is in fact based on The Orchid Thief by real life Susan Orlean) and directed by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are) the film is without doubt the best treatise on writing ever created and also a great look at how difficult it can be to create art and to start your life again once you’ve made a wrong turn. By turns hilarious, haunting, and deeply affecting, Adaptation will change the way you look at movies, and at life itself.
10. 28 Days Later—Director Danny Boyle (of the fantastic Trainspotting and the fantastically over rated Slumdog Millionaire) creates an entirely different take on the zombie film. When crazy hippy animal rights activists insist on freeing some really mad monkeys, they also unleash RAGE, a virus that turns anyone who comes into contact with it into a bloodthirsty, angry, mindless, killing machine. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma in a world already mostly devoid of human life. The film captures perfectly the sense of dread that fills him as he explores an abandoned London, and the realistic terror that follows when he discovers that he’s surrounded by hordes of flesh hungry zombies. Not only among the best zombie movies I’ve ever seen, but also among the best (albeit one of the most cynical) examinations of human nature in the face of chaos ever made.
9. About A boy— Will (Hugh Grant) is a selfish, sarcastic, carefree playboy living off of royalties from a song his father wrote decades ago. That is, until pretending to have an infant son to score with single mothers saddles him with an adolescent boy (Nicholas Hoult) in need og guidance after his wayward mother (Toni Collette) attempts suicide. Throw in Will’s development of actual feelings for Rachel (Rachel Weisz) and you have the makings for an incredibly clichéd coming of age film. Instead, with a script adapted from Nick Hornby’s insightful novel and a soundtrack by the soulful Badly Drawn Boy, what results is an insightful look at what creates bonds between people, and the things that allow us to finally grow up.
8. Bubba Ho-Tep—An elderly Elvis (Bruce Campbell) and a black JFK (Ossie Davis) fight a mummy that is slaughtering the denizens of the old folks home they share. If it sounds like the most ridiculous plot you’ve ever heard, it is—and it’s also one of the most touching stories on aging and human mortality ever to fit neatly within the B-movie genre. After the King switches places with a popular Elvis impostor to live a normal life for a while, the impostor goes and dies on him, leaving him stranded in his life of normalcy. Flash forward a few decades, and the aged king is having trouble with his “pecker” and with convincing the nurses that treat him that he is in fact the rock and roll master he claims to be. The only man that believes him is an elderly black man who claims to be a skin-dyed JFK. He also claims that a mummy is causing the uptick in deaths among the patients in the home by sucking their souls out of their anuses. At once hilarious, heartbreaking, bittersweet, and utterly cheesy, Bubba Ho-Tep will surprise you by how much it affects you, even long after the credits roll.
7. Road to Perdition—Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a hit man in the Irish mafia, working under the harsh, but kind John Rooney (Paul Newman) during the great depression. Rooney’s son Connor (Daniel Craig) is a ruthless son of a bitch, desperate to take power. When Michael’s son Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) witnesses a hit, Connor has Michael’s family killed. Michael Jr. manages to survive and father and son head out on the road to escape and find peace. As they travel, the younger Michael learns what kind of man his father is, and discovers the hard learned truth that no one, not even a father, can be defined in black and white terms. Sam Mendes( American Beauty, Away We Go) directs the film as both a taut gangster thriller and a touching look at a relationship between father and son.
6. Secretary—Lee Holloway (Maggie Gylenhaal) has just been released from a mental institution for attempting suicide. While trying to get back on her feet, she takes a job as a secretary with the cold, distant E. Edward Grey (James Spader). Lee and her boss become closer, however, when he starts to treat her as his own personal erotic slave. Definitely not a movie to watch with the parents, Secretary manages to be both incredibly erotic and amazingly romantic. Sure Edward might whip Lee with a riding crop, force her to crawl around the office and dictate exactly how many peas she can eat for dinner, but he also shows her that she has worth as a human being and gives her something to live for in the process. Unconventional? Absolutely. But also a very touching romantic comedy that proves love doesn’t always fit into the form we envision.
5. About Schmidt—Days after he finally retires, Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is confronted with the fact that he has no idea how to run his own life after his wife dies unexpectedly. Lost and falling apart without his wife to take care of him, Warren buys a motor home and decides to visit his daughter (Hope Davis) in time to stop her from marrying the unsophisticated Randall (Dermot Mulroney). Instead he finds himself laid up with an injured back, being taken care of by his future in-law, the sexually uninhibited Roberta (Kathy Bates). Warren realizes he has wasted his life and become a miserable old man, only to wonder if he still has time to turn it all around. Alexander Payne directs this meditation on turning a life around, and the struggle it takes to win over people you’ve dismissed for decades.
4. Punch Drunk Love—pudding, frequent flyer miles, Mormon phone sex operators and a harpsichord all come together in this offbeat romantic comedy from wunderkind Paul Thomas Anderson. Barry Egan (Adam Sandler, in easily his best performance) has been brow beaten by his overbearing sisters his entire life. Meek, unassuming and prone to bouts of uncontrolled rage, Barry finds solace in the voice of a phone sex worker who treats him with respect, and in a loophole that allows him to trade in pudding packs for unlimited frequent flyer miles. His life is thrown into disarray when the woman on the other end of the phone starts extorting him for money, and his sister insists on setting him up with the mysterious Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). Watching Barry fight his way through awkward encounters, neuroses, and a very angry mattress proprietor (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) provides for one of the most whimsical, disjointed romantic comedies of the decade, and possibly the most unique film in Anderson’s cannon (which is saying something).
3.In America—After the tragic death of their son, Johnny (Paddy Considine) and Sarah (the Oscar nominated Samantha Morton) immigrate from their Irish home to America with their daughters Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger). After sneaking across the border, their lives are a mixture of whimsy and near poverty. Narrated by Christy, the film is a journey—of the family from Ireland to America, from grief to acceptance, and from estrangement to reconnection for Johnny and Sarah. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking, the film allows you to revel in the adorable children and their hilarious antics while also worrying over how the family will support itself and grieving over the loss of the family’s youngest member. Directed by Jim Sheridan (who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay), the film also contains an Oscar nominated performance by Djimon Honsou, as a neighbor who may help the family get back on track.
2. Talk To Her—When his girlfriend (Rosario Flores) is injured in a bull fight and lapses into a coma, Marco (Dario Grandinetti) begins spending time at her side in the hospital. There he meets Benigno (Javier Camara) who is watching over his beloved Alicia (Leonor Watling), also in a coma. Pedro Almodovar (All About My Mother, Volver) directs this story of the nature of love, the bonds that cannot be broken, and the perversities that our feelings can drive us to. Talk To Her never shies away from the truth, whether that truth be heartbreaking, horrifying or ultimately enlightening.
1. Adaptation—Writer Charlier Kaufman strikes brilliance yet again in this tale of writer Charlie Kaufman (Oscar nominee Nicholas Cage) attempting to adapt the unadaptable book The Orchid Thief by elusive journalist Susan Orlean (Oscar nominee Meryl Streep). Kaufman is too caught up in his own insecurities, both creative and romantic, to actually make progress on the adaptation, and he begins to write himself into the screenplay. His brother Donald (also Nicholas Cage) is there to lend a helping hand, but his tastes are a tad too Hollywood for Charlie. As the Kaufman’s look into Orlean’s life and her relationship with the enigmatic and fascinating orchid poacher John Laroche (the Oscar winner Christ Cooper, never better than here) the narrative devolves as Kaufman struggles to complete his second screenplay and maintain his fraying life in the process. Also nominated for best adapted screenplay (as it is in fact based on The Orchid Thief by real life Susan Orlean) and directed by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are) the film is without doubt the best treatise on writing ever created and also a great look at how difficult it can be to create art and to start your life again once you’ve made a wrong turn. By turns hilarious, haunting, and deeply affecting, Adaptation will change the way you look at movies, and at life itself.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Discussion
Sam's illiterate, Jordan's a giant Potter nerd, and they ended up with the same grade. Let's hope neither of them jokes that it was caused by magic.
Jordan's Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
It feels only proper for me to preface my review of the newest Harry potter film by admitting that (while Muggle born) I am a total Potter-head. I have read the books countless times, been at the midnight showings for every movie since Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and generally just love all things Harry Potter. This is also important because my view of the films is invariably colored by how they relate to the book—i.e. what did they cut out this time? Azkaban angered me to no end as I watched a director I greatly admire (Alfonso Cuaron of Children of Men) follow birds around the grounds of Hogwarts at the expense of one of the greatest third acts of any novel I have ever read. I felt Order of the Phoenix (which in theory angered me being that it was the shortest film based on the longest book) was the best of the series so far in that, while the cuts it made were substantial, all of the biggest plot elements seemed to be present. And it had a killer battle sequence at the end. All of this is by way of giving you, gentle reader (I use the singular purposefully) an idea of my mindset when I went into Half Blood Prince.
That being said, I will attempt to judge the movie for its merits before I geek out on all of the cuts that were made. Director David Yates (who also helmed Order and is on tap for the two-part adaptation of Deathly Hallows coming over the next two years) has made a film that reeks of foreboding—from the terrorist attack style opening sequence straight through the end credits it is clear that all is not well in the wizarding world. Even the film’s happier moments (which I will address momentarily) feel weighted down by the paranoia and fear that affects every move these characters are making. The score and the cinematography back this feeling up and give the movie an overall eerie feel. I also found myself amazed at just how well the 11 year old kids that were picked to headline one of the biggest franchises of all time have grown into their roles. Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry is a lived in role, weighed down by the decisions he has had to make and those that were made for him. Emma Watson, though still prone to occasional bits of overacting has created a Hermione that is simultaneously fierce and adorable, a girl you want on your side and at your side. Rupert Grint’s Ron is still a blast, just as the character should be, even while he tackles some of the heavier material with aplomb. And particular kudos have to go to Tom Felton who has gone from simple schoolyard bully to full on terrorist conspirator and made us feel all of his anger, fear, and torment while never letting us forget that we hate Draco Malfoy.
The adults in the cast also continue to be excellent. Newcomer Jim Broadbent plays Horace Slughorn as a humorous eccentric, yet has the chops to carry out some of his more tragic moments. And Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane and pretty much every other British actor alive continue to do well in the roles they were all perfectly cast in.
So what’s not to love? For one thing, the film may feel laden with foreboding, but it never shows much of what everyone has to fear. For all of its posturing, the story is much more focused on the romantic pitfalls of its teenage cast than on the apocalyptic atmosphere in which they are falling into love (and occasionally lust). To be fair, the romances shown in the film are giggle inducing in just the way they should be—filled with awkwardness, innuendo, jealousy and the occasional snog, yet as enjoyable as they are, they are not really the point the movie should be focused on. Additionally, the identity of the titular Prince seems poised to be the “mystery” that lies at the center of every Potter story—that thing which will keep our gang up in the library scheming until late into the night—but it is dispensed with fairly quickly and largely forgotten until a throw away explanation in the film’s conclusion.
When the climax finally arrives, it feels incredibly rushed; as if screenwriter Steve Kloves got so caught up in the romances he was (re)creating that he forgot there was an actual over arcing purpose to the film. When Dumbledore whisks Harry on a secret quest, the film forgets to ramp up the excitement, and it’s inevitable conclusion lacks the emotional punch it needs because of this.
Fans of the book (and beware, as SPOILERS are heavy in this paragraph) will notice that due to the abundant focus on the romance aspect of the story, all but two of Voldemort’s memories are cut, which leaves the villain at the series center still feeling underdeveloped. Additionally (and in my opinion more importantly) the flashback involving Snape and his relationship with Harry’s parents is excised, robbing the character of his most emotional moment, and leaving audiences who haven’t read the book craving a more satisfactory motive behind Snape’s cruelty. And lastly, the death of Dumbledore did not crush your heart the way it did in the books because his role in the film had been cut, his sacrifice was undermined by an abbreviated conversation and his funeral is done away with entirely.
Overall, though, it’s a Harry Potter movie. If that is enough to get you excited, you will probably enjoy yourself. If you haven’t read the book (as Sam has not, and I am curious to hear your thoughts on all of this) you may miss some of the subtleties that make the series great, but there are still wizard battles, romance and adventure aplenty throughout. And the film never lets you forget that it is simply a place holder before the epic ending yet to come when Deathly Hallows hits theaters. It is a dark movie, and at times a tragic one, but more than anything else, it is a primer on the finale that is yet to come.
Grade: B
That being said, I will attempt to judge the movie for its merits before I geek out on all of the cuts that were made. Director David Yates (who also helmed Order and is on tap for the two-part adaptation of Deathly Hallows coming over the next two years) has made a film that reeks of foreboding—from the terrorist attack style opening sequence straight through the end credits it is clear that all is not well in the wizarding world. Even the film’s happier moments (which I will address momentarily) feel weighted down by the paranoia and fear that affects every move these characters are making. The score and the cinematography back this feeling up and give the movie an overall eerie feel. I also found myself amazed at just how well the 11 year old kids that were picked to headline one of the biggest franchises of all time have grown into their roles. Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry is a lived in role, weighed down by the decisions he has had to make and those that were made for him. Emma Watson, though still prone to occasional bits of overacting has created a Hermione that is simultaneously fierce and adorable, a girl you want on your side and at your side. Rupert Grint’s Ron is still a blast, just as the character should be, even while he tackles some of the heavier material with aplomb. And particular kudos have to go to Tom Felton who has gone from simple schoolyard bully to full on terrorist conspirator and made us feel all of his anger, fear, and torment while never letting us forget that we hate Draco Malfoy.
The adults in the cast also continue to be excellent. Newcomer Jim Broadbent plays Horace Slughorn as a humorous eccentric, yet has the chops to carry out some of his more tragic moments. And Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane and pretty much every other British actor alive continue to do well in the roles they were all perfectly cast in.
So what’s not to love? For one thing, the film may feel laden with foreboding, but it never shows much of what everyone has to fear. For all of its posturing, the story is much more focused on the romantic pitfalls of its teenage cast than on the apocalyptic atmosphere in which they are falling into love (and occasionally lust). To be fair, the romances shown in the film are giggle inducing in just the way they should be—filled with awkwardness, innuendo, jealousy and the occasional snog, yet as enjoyable as they are, they are not really the point the movie should be focused on. Additionally, the identity of the titular Prince seems poised to be the “mystery” that lies at the center of every Potter story—that thing which will keep our gang up in the library scheming until late into the night—but it is dispensed with fairly quickly and largely forgotten until a throw away explanation in the film’s conclusion.
When the climax finally arrives, it feels incredibly rushed; as if screenwriter Steve Kloves got so caught up in the romances he was (re)creating that he forgot there was an actual over arcing purpose to the film. When Dumbledore whisks Harry on a secret quest, the film forgets to ramp up the excitement, and it’s inevitable conclusion lacks the emotional punch it needs because of this.
Fans of the book (and beware, as SPOILERS are heavy in this paragraph) will notice that due to the abundant focus on the romance aspect of the story, all but two of Voldemort’s memories are cut, which leaves the villain at the series center still feeling underdeveloped. Additionally (and in my opinion more importantly) the flashback involving Snape and his relationship with Harry’s parents is excised, robbing the character of his most emotional moment, and leaving audiences who haven’t read the book craving a more satisfactory motive behind Snape’s cruelty. And lastly, the death of Dumbledore did not crush your heart the way it did in the books because his role in the film had been cut, his sacrifice was undermined by an abbreviated conversation and his funeral is done away with entirely.
Overall, though, it’s a Harry Potter movie. If that is enough to get you excited, you will probably enjoy yourself. If you haven’t read the book (as Sam has not, and I am curious to hear your thoughts on all of this) you may miss some of the subtleties that make the series great, but there are still wizard battles, romance and adventure aplenty throughout. And the film never lets you forget that it is simply a place holder before the epic ending yet to come when Deathly Hallows hits theaters. It is a dark movie, and at times a tragic one, but more than anything else, it is a primer on the finale that is yet to come.
Grade: B
Sam's Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Another highly anticipated movie this summer is the new installment of Harry Potter. Directed by David Yates (who directed the previous Potter), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince provides some ups and downs in overall quality. I did not read Half-Blood Prince but read the previous books. I’m by no means a die-hard Potter fan but still enjoyed the books and care about what happens to the characters.
It seems unnecessary to summarize a movie everyone knows better than me so I’ll keep it quick: Harry’s a hero, Voldemort wants Malfoy to off Dumbledore, Snape does it (everyone knows this, I knew it before seeing the movie). The story is pretty standard, and dare I say, dull (for a Potter series anyways).
I was more interested (and so was Yates it seems) in the who wants to dip their magic wand in who storylines (again I know where everyone ends up, but anyone who’s alive knows where everyone will end up). I enjoyed that Harry and friends are becoming horny bastards which are much better than an abstinent vampire.
Jordan will correct me if I’m wrong, but my guess is that in the book there was a ton more character development than what’s in the movie. The movie felt like we were supposed to get to know these characters better. I also feel there was likely a ton of good bits from the book left out, but it’s a necessary evil to make these films (should be a good sign the next flick is in two parts). Even though I know Hermoine and Ron end up together I still wanted them to have some action. Also Harry and Ginny was awfully cute but for me its just a waiting game ‘till Ron sticks his Gryffindor in Hermoine’s Hufflepuff (I was thinking about coming up with some Hermoine-Ron innuendo the entire movie).
Anyways, the acting was strong which is nothing new because it’s the same cast of talented brits as it always has. I’m always amazed at how good the casting is of the three leads. They had to make sure that the three could continue to be good actors and grow up to be attractive enough for the pictures. I think Emma Watson (Hermoine) has the brightest future, but they all seem to have strong careers ahead of them unless they decide acting’s not for them. Still, I felt the story was just average and not as riveting as Potter’s past. Perhaps its just building to the final film but I can’t really find details in this movie that will have SUPER importance in the next film other than the note found at the end.
Yates made the film look very good for the most part. He blue-tinted world has set the tone for the remainder of the series well, a bit darker than Chris Columbus’ orange-fest. I’m definitely excited for the next two films and to see Ron and Hermoine hook up. This movie had nothing really wrong with it, it was fine. Really OK.
B
Notes: I knew John Williams didn’t do the music for this one. Before the movie the theatre was playing some music from the flick and it was not Williams-y to me which gave me doubts. The music was done by Nicholas Hooper.
It seems unnecessary to summarize a movie everyone knows better than me so I’ll keep it quick: Harry’s a hero, Voldemort wants Malfoy to off Dumbledore, Snape does it (everyone knows this, I knew it before seeing the movie). The story is pretty standard, and dare I say, dull (for a Potter series anyways).
I was more interested (and so was Yates it seems) in the who wants to dip their magic wand in who storylines (again I know where everyone ends up, but anyone who’s alive knows where everyone will end up). I enjoyed that Harry and friends are becoming horny bastards which are much better than an abstinent vampire.
Jordan will correct me if I’m wrong, but my guess is that in the book there was a ton more character development than what’s in the movie. The movie felt like we were supposed to get to know these characters better. I also feel there was likely a ton of good bits from the book left out, but it’s a necessary evil to make these films (should be a good sign the next flick is in two parts). Even though I know Hermoine and Ron end up together I still wanted them to have some action. Also Harry and Ginny was awfully cute but for me its just a waiting game ‘till Ron sticks his Gryffindor in Hermoine’s Hufflepuff (I was thinking about coming up with some Hermoine-Ron innuendo the entire movie).
Anyways, the acting was strong which is nothing new because it’s the same cast of talented brits as it always has. I’m always amazed at how good the casting is of the three leads. They had to make sure that the three could continue to be good actors and grow up to be attractive enough for the pictures. I think Emma Watson (Hermoine) has the brightest future, but they all seem to have strong careers ahead of them unless they decide acting’s not for them. Still, I felt the story was just average and not as riveting as Potter’s past. Perhaps its just building to the final film but I can’t really find details in this movie that will have SUPER importance in the next film other than the note found at the end.
Yates made the film look very good for the most part. He blue-tinted world has set the tone for the remainder of the series well, a bit darker than Chris Columbus’ orange-fest. I’m definitely excited for the next two films and to see Ron and Hermoine hook up. This movie had nothing really wrong with it, it was fine. Really OK.
B
Notes: I knew John Williams didn’t do the music for this one. Before the movie the theatre was playing some music from the flick and it was not Williams-y to me which gave me doubts. The music was done by Nicholas Hooper.
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