Thursday Movie Picks: Child Actors Venturing Out Of Typecasting

This week's theme from Wandering Through The Shelves is another suggestion from yours truly. Honestly I wish I would've worded it differently. I was getting at child actors that transition into adult roles that are very different from what we are used to seeing. I love it when they make that leap. It's not easy to do. Here are some of the most radically different films from what we saw of that actor when they were a kid.

1) Mysterious Skin

Joseph Gordon-Levitt played a lovable character on Third Rock From The Sun, then dipped his toe into teen comedies, but I don't think many saw this performance coming from him. I still think this is one of his greatest films and he was completely robbed of an Oscar nomination for it. 

2) Kill Your Darlings

Daniel Radcliffe will forever be known as Harry Potter and while his breakout was technically Equus on stage, his turn in Kill Your Darlings was drastically different from the Harry we knew.

3) Push

Push was the film where people finally started excepting that yes, cute little Dakota Fanning is growing up. She can swear, dye her hair, and be a smartass now. She's fine. We're fine. Everyone's fine. 

Review: Honey Boy

You're here because he pays you.

Otis is an actor. We split time with him at age 12 (Noah Jupe) when he's living with his father James (Shia Labeouf) in a seedy motel while being a successful child star. We also see him at 22 (Lucas Hedges) in rehab for alcoholism and trying to process all that damage his father has done.

Shia LaBeouf is clearly an actor with a lot of baggage. Most of it coming to light within the last few years, but he took a step back and wrote this story about his life in order to come to terms with it all. Honey Boy is essentially Shia's therapy session. And what a session it is. It had to have taken a lot of courage to write this, and a lot of energy to get it produced. Director Alma Har'el shoots in an almost curious manner. Like we're not sure if we should really be there watching Otis go through these things. 

Noah Jupe is turning out to be a solid young actor. I loved him in this. You want to reach through the screen and hold his hand and give him the stability that he deserves. Lucas Hedges doesn't have as much to do as Jupe as we spend less time with him, but Hedges is always reliable when he's needed to cry or be angry. He did a good job of coming off like early 20's Shia. As for Shia himself, stepping into the role of his own father, that can't be easy. You can tell he gives this his all, and it will be a crime if he doesn't get an Oscar nomination. He's always been a strong actor, and this is his best performance.

Much like therapy, it can feel disjointed and messy at times, but it feels very intentional. The film zips by at a brisk 94 minutes and even though we know where Shia the actor is now, I couldn't help but be a little sad we had to say goodbye to Otis so soon.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "Dolly Parton has her shit together." - James (Shia LaBeouf)

Review: Waves

We have to try twice as hard.

Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is a high school senior under a lot of pressure, mostly from his father, Ronald. (Sterling K. Brown) He's expected to do rigorous workouts daily to keep himself in shape for the wrestling team, no matter his injured shoulder. The minute he walks in the door and barely says hello to his mother, Catharine (Renée Elise Goldsberry) Ronald is on him about his homework. All of this eventually boils over into something tragic, and then the film shifts to Tyler's sister Emily (Taylor Russell) who gets to deal with the aftermath.

Speaking of said aftermath, it's not often that a film balances out familial issues the way this one does. In many family dramas, I feel we start the path to healing much earlier. Or we watch all the desctruction take place with only a small, poignant ending. Waves practically splits its run time in half between Tyler and Emily. We spend just enough with Tyler to see him rise and fall, and just enough with Emily to see her come into her own. And it's not just about the children. While their parents are supporting players, we get a glimpse of their problems as well. It's exactly the right amount.

The actors are wonderful here. Kelvin Harrison Jr. is easily becoming one of my favorite young actors out there. He's had such a great year with this and Luce. This is the first film I've seen Taylor Russell in and she's so sweet. I loved Emily and her relationship with her corny boyfriend Lucas (Lucas Hedges) was a nice little reprieve from what happens before. Sterling K. Brown was the standout for me. It's so easy to hate Ronald for how hard he is on Tyler but he faces the reality of it and seeing how it weighs on him is truly moving. He could've been a one note antagonist in Tyler's story, but he wasn't.

There is one thing I didn't like about Waves, and I also suspect its a reason in this not getting nearly the amount of awards season love it deserves - the spinning cam. The way this film is shot is so fast and dizzying that it almost gives you motion sickness. It's amplified by a change in aspect ratio in the middle of the film that brings it in even tighter. On top of that, there's a few scenes of up close and personal vomiting that I always have trouble watching, but in a film that practically spins you like a top it made me feel even worse about it. This filming technique does set it apart from others and does compliment it more than not, but it's bound to be hard to watch for some.

Waves is currently in a limited release here in the States and if a theater near you has it, definitely give it some of your time.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "Fuck! I love manatees." - Lucas (Lucas Hedges)

Best Shots of the Decade: 2014

This month, I wanted to start sharing "Decade" posts celebrating the 2010's. It's extra fitting that this year is the 10 anniversary of Rambling Film. I decided to split up each year, with 10 gifs from 10 different films. Here are some shots that stood out to me. Onward to 2014!

Previous Posts: 2010 2011 2012 2013

Snowpiercer

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

God Help The Girl

Nightcrawler

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Camp X-Ray

Gone Girl

Begin Again

Song of the Sea

Bonus: How To Train Your Dragon 2

Not because it's an amazing cinematic shot, but because no one in that theater was laughing harder than I was when this happened. It's also my favorite of the series, and the first film I took my son to at the theater.

Indie Gems: Wild Rose

Not western, just country.

Rose-Lynn (Jessie Buckley) is fresh out of prison after a year long stint for a drug charged. She dreams of moving to Nashville and becoming a country music star, but the reality is she's not a convicted felon with two children she had before she turned 18. Her mother, Marion (Julie Walters) has been taking care of the while Rose-Lynn has been in prison. Now she must choose between following her dream and her responsibilities as a parent.

Like country music in general, Rose-Lynn is a damn mess. She drinks too much, she's an absent parent and she takes no responsibility for the mess she puts herself in. In fact, the only time Rose-Lynn is in any way put together is when she's on stage performing. Her talent cannot be denied. It's hard sometimes to watch a character like this when you'd rather shake them and tell them to get their priorities straight, but Rose-Lynn thankfully gets there.

Buckley is absolutely amazing in this film. You can tell no one saw it otherwise her name would be everywhere in the Best Actress race. She's a very talented singer, she does a very convincing Scottish accent and best of all she doesn't make Rose-Lynn unbearable which she easily could've been. Walters also gives a strong performance, as does Sophie Okonedo as Susannah, a woman who takes an interesting in Rose-Lynn.

Okonedo is a very sympathetic actress to me. I see her and just want to hug her, so I had a bit of anxiety/annoyance during part of this film because I expected it to go one way, but it was thankfully rectified. A lot about this film is familiar but little touches set it apart. I even enjoyed the music, despite not caring for country at all.

This is out on DVD now in the U.S Give it a watch if you come across it.

Grade: B

Watched on: DVD Netflix

Memorable Quote: "I should've been born in America" - Rose-Lynn (Jessie Buckley)

Best Shots of the Decade: 2013

This month, I wanted to start sharing "Decade" posts celebrating the 2010's. It's extra fitting that this year is the 10 anniversary of Rambling Film. I decided to split up each year, with 10 gifs from 10 different films. Here are some shots that stood out to me. Onward to 2013!

Previous posts: 2010 2011 2012

Stoker

Prisoners

Byzantium

12 Years A Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

American Hustle

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Short Term 12

The Brass Teapot

Violet and Daisy

Note: You may be wondering "Brittani, where is Only God Forgives?" And while I acknowledge the neon drenched lens that was filmed in was gorgeous I fucking haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaated that movie. Also this was such a great year for indies. They deserve to be admired.

Thursday Movie Picks: Super Long Titles

This week's theme from Wandering Through The Shelves is so much fun. I've actually been looking forward to it all year. I love clever movies titles. I did an entire blogathon about favorite movies titles years ago and this week we get to talk about the longest of them. 

1) Me and You and Everyone We Know

I feel like I talk about this movie all the time, but I really love it. It's part dark and disturbing, part light and funny. The lives of the group of people we follow are never boring.

2) Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Sometimes I forget Birdman actually had this long as title because no one ever uses it, but this was an excellent film and I am forever grateful that it beat Boyhood for Best Picture at the Oscars. 

3) A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

I watched this Swedish avant garde film based on the title alone. And much like that title, it's pretty weird. I enjoyed most of it, but there were a few parts I hated.