Making a case for The East

I'm kidding, but that would be hilarious..

You know, I'm having a hard time coming up with something for Stevee's blogathon this year. She asks us to make a case for someone that moved us that's more than likely NOT going to get an Oscar nomination. Last year, I made a case for Pierce Gagnon that adorable FIVE year old kid in Looper that stole every scene he was in. Honestly, a lot of things I've seen this year seem pretty likely to get Oscar consideration. Prisoners is still my favorite of the year. I thought about making a Best Picture case for it, but honestly, I think it could still squeeze itself in there. So, I'm going with a film that I saw back in June that I'm afraid is largely forgot about - The East.

Best Original Screenplay - Brit Marling and Zalbatmanglij - The East

 

Yes, that guy seriously has 'batman' in his name. They've collaborated together before on Sound of my Voice and Another Earth. (I haven't seen either, but they're in my queue) The East is about a young woman played by Marling that infiltrates an eco-terrorist group. She becomes torn when she grows closer to the group's leader, and starts to understand things from their point of view. Marling's not the only great performance, Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgard are strong as well. I really just loved The East as a whole. These people are obviously doing very dangerous things, but they're passionate behind their reasoning, and we see consequences from both sides. The film is tense, clever, and expertly shot.

 

No one is going to remember this little Sundance darling come Oscar time. We can only hope the Independent Spirit Awards give them some love. But, I don't think you should discredit The East. It really is a wonderful little film that deserves to be noticed.

Indie Gems: Frances Ha

How many times can I change my mind?

 

I've had a really indecisive week when it comes to movies. I recently ran a train on my Netflix Instant queue and watched possibly the weirdest set of movies ever. Yet after each one, I had no idea how I felt. It didn't help that I was tweeting at the same time.

 

The thing about Frances Ha, a tale of a 27 year old New Yorker (Greta Gerwig) who works for a dance company and is really trying to find her way in life when her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) all of a sudden gets her shit together is that I was kind of destined to hate this movie. I tried to see it in theaters, but a good friend of mine insisted that I wouldn't like it because it felt "too Woody Allen-ish." He's right. I hate Woody Allen. I also don't care for modern black and white films. (Just a personal preference, and I know I'm in the tiny, tiny minority who thinks it didn't suit this film.)

 

When the credits started rolling I thought "Wow, that was the longest 85 minutes ever" and I felt a little disappointed. Then once I got away from my keyboard and out for my run, I thought about it some more. As it turns out, I was actually quite charmed by Frances Ha. Gerwig really was a wonder to watch on screen, and even though I wanted to slap Frances a few times and tell her to stop being such a fucking spaz, I appreciate her for it. Plus it's always nice to see Michael Zegan in something, he was one of my favorite on Rescue Me.  Frances Ha may scream "Hipsters: The Movie" to some, but it's actually quite a nice little pick me up. There's the obvious nods to French new wave cinema here and there, and Gerwig may have a shot at an Independent Spirit Nom later this year. Either way, even though I probably should've hated this film, I'm actually wanting to see it again.

 

Grade: B-

 

Memorable Quote: "Ahoy, Sexy!" - Frances (Greta Gerwig)

DVD Review: Flight

The rule of The First 20; The Last 10.

 

Actually, I made that rule up, but those are seriously the only redeeming parts of this movie.

 

Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is an alcoholic airline pilot, whom after a night of booze and cocaine manages to land a doomed aircraft and save 96 out of 102 people. It's a miracle. No other pilot could've done what he did. Oh, but the hospital took his blood after the crash and found out about all that booze and coke. Now he could face jail time.

 

It's a damn shame that Flight ends up being so boring, because the first 20 minutes of this film are some of the most intense minutes I've ever witnessed. I nearly cried for the horror these people went through. The film gives us a great performance from Washington, but also gives us a kind of useless side story about a heroin addict (Kelly Reilly) who befriends Whitaker while he tries to kick his addiction. His final scene in the court room is moving, but it's not enough to erase the past hour that dragged its feet through the mud.

 

Recommended: No. Though it is on Netflix Instant at the moment, so check out the first 20 minutes.

 

Grade: C

 

Memorable Quote: "Don't tell me how to lie about my drinking, okay? I know how to lie about my drinking. I've been lying about my drinking my whole life." - Whip (Denzel Washington)

2014 Blind Spot Series

Time to get on that classic film bandwagon, Brittani.

 

For the past few years, Ryan McNeil over at The Matinee has been running a blogathon called The Blind Spot Series. Where he asks that you make a list of films that you haven't seen, but feel that you should. I'm going to stick with 12 like he suggests. One film a month. Mostly, I'm going to focus on the Classics, since I'm terrible at actually going back to the earlier stages of film. I'm calling this a "preliminary list" in case I have to change any of it due to not being able to get my hands on a DVD and what not.

 

1) Citizen Kane

 

2) Persona

 

3) 12 Angry Men

 

4) North by Northwest

 

5) Vertigo

 

6) Some Like It Hot

 

7) Wild Strawberries

 

8) The Deer Hunter

 

9) My Neighbor Totoro

 

10) The 400 Blows

 

11) Fanny and Alexander

 

12) Rebel Without A Cause



DVD Review: Salinger

I know jack about J.D Salinger

 

I've never read The Catcher in the Rye. Though I've heard the name Holden Caufield several times, I actually didn't even know what the story was supposed to be about. I had to look it up. Since I haven't read his most famous piece, I obviously haven't read any of his short stories either. Basically, if the entire world depended on me answering Salinger trivia, we'd all be dead.

 

So why did I watch this? Because I finally became curious. I've passed Catch in the Rye at the library quite a few times, and am only now thinking that I might actually pick it up and read it. (When I'm done re-reading my ASOIAF books, of course.) What is so interesting about J.D Salinger? Why are so many people moved by his work? Why were a select few inspired to kill over it?

 

This documentary really doesn't offer you any answers to those questions. It's 2nd biggest question; "Why was J.D Salinger such a recluse" isn't really answered either. In fact, it's really just a collection of interviews of people who were around him or had relatives that knew him at various times in his life. The biggest thing this documentary asks is "Is he still writing?" Apparently he was, and his work will be published between 2015-2020.

 

So here's what I learned about J.D Salinger: He went off to war, and was inspired to write The Catcher in the Rye. He will never give any of the rights of his work to Hollywood because they butchered one of his stories that DID make it to film. He was obsessed about being published in the New Yorker. He may or may not have been a perv who only dated women far younger than himself. He was also kind of an asshole. While I felt like I learned quite a bit, I almost wonder if this isn't everything Salinger fans knew already? Did it offer anything fresh to the table besides "he's got new work...and you'll see it in a few years from now. Maybe?"

 

Recommended: Yes, if you know nothing about him, and No if you do. I just got the feeling that everything said here was kind of common knowledge about him already. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Grade: B-

 

Memorable Quote: "This girl needs to go to the airport immediately." - J.D Salinger

Rambling TV: Thoughts on The Walking Dead season finale

The Walking Dead episode 4.8: Too Far Gone

 

Wow. That mid season finale certainly delivered. I have to say, it was an all around great episode. Of course I still have my Carol gripes, but that's to be expected from me, right?

*The beginning of the episode kind of got on my nerves until members of Team Prison showed up. I could care less about Governor red shirts.

*Daryl and Ricks 3 episode confrontation? Well, I'm glad it finally happened, I'm glad Daryl was clearly mad about it (Caryl is pretty much canon now, right?) but the problem I had with it was Rick's huge speech he gave to the Governor. He said "we can't be too far gone" and that he "doesn't make decisions anymore" Well, too bad he didn't give Carol that courtesy. It was such an emotional moment, I'm annoyed that this out of character bullshit distracted me from it.

*Oh Hershel, I saw that coming a mile away, but it doesn't make it any easier. I'm going to miss him.

*I'm surprised Rick didn't start his conversation with The Governor with: "Hey, remembered that time you raped one of my friends, tortured the other and then murdered 3/4 of your little village? That may have given a few other people something to think about.
 
*I don't think Judith is gone. I think one of those kids grabbed her, and Rick and Carl will have a tearful reunion.

*Based on filming SPOILERS - Apparently Carol will meet up with Tyreese and those kids. He doesn't know yet. I'm really hoping this stupid story has some decent resolution because I still see it as the assassination of my favorite characters.

*All and all, I'm happy with the episode, it was intense and sad and I will give show runner Scott Glimple the benefit of the doubt that they won't continue to butcher one of my favorite characters.

Indie Gems: The Lifeguard

We all stumble sometimes.

 

I had a gigantic moral dilemma after watching this film. Did I like it? Did I hate it? Did I just watch a movie that condoned having sex with a minor? (Though some web sleuths over on IMDb in fact have shown that no, the film didn't. The legal age of consent in CT is 16 and as long as the adult is not an authority figure, it's okay.) Good to know.

 

"Awkward" is the perfect way to describe this film. Leigh (Kristen Bell) is having a bit of a quarter life crisis. Upon turning 30, she skips out on her job in the city and goes back to her small town to be live with her parents and be a lifeguard. Just like she was in high school. She ends up striking up a relationship with a troubled 16 year old, Little Jason (David Lambert) and all while dragging her two adult friends (played by Martin Starr and Mammie Gummer) down the rabbit hole with her.

 

It was very awkward for me to watch these adults indulge in this kind of activity with teenagers. For me, I can't think of anything worse than being a teenager again. Maybe other people had better experiences as a teen, but I sure didn't. I can never see myself fondly reminiscing on my high school days. (sure, I have great memories with my friends, but very few of them happened during school hours.) I can never see myself going back to home town and trying to re-live that life. It's just not for me. Then I realized I was being too harsh. The theme of this movie is "we all stumble sometimes." and it's true. I sure have. Not to the extent that Leigh did in this film, but I've definitely stumbled and looked back when I should've been looking forward.

 

After I accepted that, I really did appreciate this film. It dared to be different. Even though I don't think Kristen Bell is the strongest actress out there, this is the best I've seen of her. The whole cast was great, really, even if their characters were oh so flawed. It felt a little unrealistic at times, but it had a light at the end of the tunnel, and I can always appreciate that.

 

Grade: B-

 

Memorable Quote: "Careful, we wouldn't want you to get hurt." - Leigh (Kristen Bell)