You, the Living

Starring: Jessika Lundberg, Elisabeth Helander, Björn Englund Directed by: Roy Andersson

Viewing a movie used to be based on seeing a trailer for the film and then, maybe, word of mouth.  A good written review.  Siskel and Ebert.  With the advent of the VCR one might see a film based on the synopsis written on the box.  Whatever the case you could probably give a reason as to why you saw a film.  Because the trailer looked good, or because the back of the box sounded interesting or, hell, maybe even just because Michael J. Fox was in it.

Eventually there came the internet, and the wealth of information it has left almost literally at our fingertips.  Now I see so many reviews and watch so many trailers and read so much information about film, some of which may or may not even be true, I sometimes forget why I saw a movie.

And so it is that I have no idea why I watched the Swedish Existentialist romanti-dramedy, “You, the Living.”  It’s probably because Netflix recommended it based on my “taste preferences.”  Or maybe I simply chose it based on the synopsis.  Maybe because it sounded difficult and mysterious.  Who knows.  Maybe those Bing search overload commercials are really on to something.

“You, the Living,” is like one of those films where there are seven or eight different vignettes and then, in the end, they are carefully woven together to show how everybody’s lives are amazingly, inexplicably intertwined to create the beautiful existence we call life.

Except, in “You, the Living,” there are somewhere in the range of 50 vignettes presented in a film lasting under 90 minutes.  Some of them are intertwined, and some of them aren’t.  Some of them are funny, some are sad and some….well, some simply exist.  So I guess, actually, it is nothing like those films.

There were times, during the viewing of “You, the Living,” when I found myself thoroughly enjoying a particular vignette.  Maybe because it was funny (my favorite scene is one in which a man recounts a dream where he tries to pull the tablecloth out from underneath a family meal to no avail.  Subsequently he is sentenced to death by electrocution) or insightful to the human condition.  Unfortunately that enjoyment crashed back down as I was forced to watch an entire bit revolving around a man on the telephone.  In its oversimplified style, you are greeted with a scene in which the camera is static and you only hear one side of the conversation.  The voice on the other end of the phone is inaudible.

So it goes and, as you would expect when you are trying to cram fifty-ish vignettes in to a 90 minute running time, there is plenty of hit and miss.

The one amazing thing about the film is director Roy Anderrson’s style choice.  Nearly every single vignette is shot with no camera movement, but the camera is placed so perfectly you hardly notice.  The depth given in a static shot of a room is astounding.  In almost every shot there is something going on in the background -- outside a door, or a window for example.  Inside the room may just be a reflection of everyday life.  In this way he creates something interesting to look at without having to compromise the style he has chosen for the rest of the film, and in that regard it works brilliantly.

That, I think, speaks a lot to the idea of the film.  Every minute of every second of our lives is not filled with snappy dialogue or explosions or dramatic decision making.  Unfortunately, exploring the banal minutiae of everyday life with no clarification, background or character development doesn’t necessarily make for very enthralling cinema.

Written by Ryan Venson

Revolutionary Road

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet Directed by: Sam Mendes

Many years ago, a male love interest of mine refused to get into a serious relationship with me because he thought we were too much alike.  He claimed we would 'destroy each other,' because we are both very stubborn, of a fiery Aries nature, and also sometimes prone to melancholy.  At the time, I thought it was just a lame excuse – and I kind of still do.  But after watching Revolutionary Road, I think there might be some truth to the idea.

Revolutionary Road paints a strong portrait of the 'whited sepulchre' of suburban life in the mid-1950s.  Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) are two people extremely unhappy with their suburban lives.  They get into an uncomfortable-to-watch argument early in the film, Frank angry that April doesn't want to go out for drinks with friends after she performs in a sub-par local play.  Both perceive that they have given up on the exciting lives they meant to have to behave according to the (boring) constraints of the American Dream.  Frank is bored by his job and chafes at working in the same company his father once did.  April feels stifled and frustrated by Frank's inability to understand why she is unhappy.

For a while, they agree on an unconventional move to Paris where Frank can 'find himself' and April will support the family as a secretary. Domestic harmony – both in their delight of shocking everyone who thinks their plan is ridiculous, immature, etc. and in their excitement about having something to look forward to – reigns for a time.  The question is – will they actually carry through with it, or abandon their dreams again?  The movie takes a very hard look at fear of the unknown and unconventional and how we often let one opportunity slip away for fear of losing another.

Both characters, at times, emotionally punish each other in different ways while justifying their own behavior. Mostly, this resulted in overly dramatic arguments and some gratuitous infidelity. And in the end, they destroy each other.

I can't recommend putting this movie in the queue unless you really like to see people argue and do not prefer your movies to have at least a little flavor of hope that happily ever after is possible.

I also recommend that Leonardo DiCaprio take a break from roles where he is married to unpredictable and/or unbalanced women (similar to Shutter Island and Inception).

Written by Jennifer Venson

Amélie

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Dominique Pinon Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

When I decided that I was going to review movies about love for this site, the only thing that I knew for sure was that Amélie would definitely be on the list. Over the last ten years, Amélie has been one of the films by which all others have been compared, romantic or not. When my wife and I were married, it was the music from this film that proceeded “you may kiss the bride”. So when I tell you that Amélie means a lot to me, I promise I am being sincere.

The film revolves around Amélie Poulain who, after spending most of her childhood alone, has grown up to be a very solitary woman with an imagination that seems to be always dialed to eleven. One day Amélie discovers of hidden box full of a child’s odd and ends in her apartment.  When she realizes the box must have belonged to a previous tenant, Amélie decides to track the man down and return it to him. Upon seeing the reaction of the man when he opens his once treasure chest, Amélie decides that she will devote her life to helping people.

The above synopsis hardly does this film justice.  Beyond this story about a woman helping people, there are themes and ideas that will strike at the heart of most people. Almost every character in the movie is introduced with little vignettes in which we the viewer become privy to the most mundane things that each character hates, and the simple pleasures that bring them each unexplainable joy.  It is the idea of simple pleasures that not only introduces us to the cast of characters, but also connects them to each other and the world at large.

With several of our characters, we are also given brief insights into their childhoods. While this facet of the films may be minor, it is perhaps my favorite. It is weird what we remember from being a child. Moments that seem so inconsequential can stay with us longer than we can comprehend, and the rush of emotion that comes when remembered can be overwhelming. In watching these memories, we become sadly aware that the years have only served to magnify the characters hopes and fears, their personal tragedies, and their desires to find someone who understands them.

Amélie is a fairy-tale. You need to be aware of that notion before you begin your viewing. I always feel like most romantic films are extraordinary reflections of real life. Amélie on the other hand, is a story, not in the world we know, but in a world as we wish it could be. The colors are rich and velvety. The music is soft and sweet. No, Amélie is not something that could exist in the real world, but only in the amazing world of cinema. I cannot tell you how many times I have vehemently recommended this film to friends and strangers. It’s a movie about magic and mystery and garden gnomes and love…above all love. And after you watch it you will find that Amélie, like love, is meant to be shared with others.

Written By Drew Martin

Best/Worst of 2010

With the Academy Awards a mere two weeks away, we figure we had better go ahead and talk about what we thought were the best and worst films of 2010. Where will Unstoppable fall? It could go either way. There are also some honorable mentions for movies that might not be the best of the year, but are still a "must see". We also briefly discuss Winter's Bone...you may know it from all the nominations it has received lately. Proving once again that the Academy member feel compelled to nominate an indie film just so they can say they did. Enjoy.

Much Ado About Nothing

Starring: Kenneth Branagh,  Emma Thompson Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Sigh no more, ladies (and gentlemen).  Valentine's Day is upon us, and truly it is a ridiculous and contrived holiday.  However, I do feel the need to bestow you, my loyal readers, with a token of my appreciation for your support.  In honor of my favorite comedy by Wm. Shakespeare and a statement of my true feelings on February 14^th, I present you with my review of Much Ado About Nothing.

The plot specifics are relatively unimportant – if you know Shakespeare, you know what happens. Some sappy lovers and some comedic characters are introduced, a treacherous plot by a evil jerk emerges, an event that throws a monkey wrench into the whole works (in this film, it has to do with mistaken identity) occurs, the audience gets some comic relief from a buffoon, there is a faked death, a rift in a friendship and/or threats of violence happen, and then there is a happy resolution with marriage, music and dancing.

The beauty of this film is the casting.

• Keanu Reeves is the villain; his first line is "I am a man of few words."  His acting style conforms well to a character who displays passive-aggressive unhappiness with stiff posture and a scowl.
• Denzel Washington as the charming Don Pedro, striding through the film with presence and grace.  He is a natural and respected leader among the band of soldiers he commands, a sincere courtier to the ladies – yet not above schoolboy mischief.
• Michael Keaton as the oddball and not-too-bright constable Dogberry who rides around on an invisible horse, is highly offended by a prisoner calling him an ass, and unwittingly saves the day.
• Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale as Claudio and Hero, the two innocent lovers.  Both are cutely earnest, very gullible and cry a lot (especially Claudio).  Yet, we can't help but hope these two kids can work things out.  What's a Shakesperian comedy without a wedding in Act V?
• Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh as Beatrice and Benedick are the pair that truly make this a great comedy.  Both are fiercely stubborn, 'more mirth than matter,' and set against marriage. Whenever they meet they only speak to each other in humorous insults.  After Don Pedro and others decide it would be very merry indeed to convince Benedick that Beatrice is in love with him (and vice versa), the following scenes are absolutely hysterical.  While Benedick attempts to hide behind a shrubbery in the garden, Don Pedro and company spin yarns of a love-struck Beatrice with giggling glee.

As far as Shakespeare remakes go, I put it at the top of the list (closely followed by the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet with Mel Gibson, and 10 Things I Hate About You (which is loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew).

If you:

• have an aversion to The Bard
• prefer your movies in modern English rather than Ye Olde English
• don't enjoy British humor (especially 16^th century British humor)

Don't put it in the queue.

If you:

• like a witty comedy
• are willing to endure (or at least fast-forward) the mostly dull Act IV
• enjoy a star-studded film that requires – and delivers – actual acting

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Dogtooth

Starring:  Christos Stergioglou, Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis Directed by:  Giorgos Lanthimos

I have seen some odd movies in my time.  I have seen movies about time-traveling midgets, clay-animated surgically-removed serial-killing Siamese twins, people eating dumplings made out of babies in order to stay young, a Japanese film where a man turns in to a machine after he accidentally kills a man who likes to stab himself with rebar, a Czech film about a woman who raises a log as a child where the log eventually comes to life and starts eating people.  Oh, and Eraserhead.

It would be hyperbole to say none of those hold a candle to Dogtooth.  The above mentioned films are weird.  Really weird.  The one thing that differentiates Dogtooth from those films is its complete lack of the fantastic.  The aforementioned films (Time Bandits, Basket Case, Dumplings, Tetsuo the Iron Man, Little Otik and, well, Eraserhead) all use dreamlike, abstract, incredible imagery to add to the storytelling.  Dogtooth is subdued and grounded in realism from the beginning.

Dogtooth takes place in Greece.  We are never given a lot of context as to where in Greece, as the plot revolves around a mother and father raising three early twenty-something children who they have never let off the property.  Never.  They are told the outside world is too dangerous but, someday, when they lose their “dogtooth,” they will be allowed to venture out in to the world.  In order to make this more tangible, the parents even create an older brother who lives on the outside.

Since there are no visitors, no friends, save a security guard at the father’s workplace whom he pays to have sex with his son once a week, we aren’t given any real insight in to why the parents have chosen this path.  There is never a plausible reason for the parents to reveal this to the audience, and the film doesn’t force a reason.  The reason seems to be that the mother and father really do think the exterior world is too corrupt.  They actually believe they are helping their children by giving them completely sheltered lives.  The father says something to this effect in the few seconds available for exposition in the entire film -- after he batters a woman with a VCR.

At the same time, however, they seem to have no problem taking advantage of their innocence by creating games for their own enjoyment.  They teach the children incorrect vocabulary -- “sea” is a leather arm chair, a “motorway” is a very strong wind, a “carbine” is a white bird.  They make them compete in feats of endurance and reward the winner with stickers.  Whoever wins the most stickers at the end of the week gets to decide the entertainment for the night.

The film is not an easy watch.  Its pacing is deliberate.  The relationship between the siblings is loving, but also awkward and, at times, unsettling.  Relationships and sexual desire and how they manifest in a household where no outside influences are ever allowed is a significant theme.  The father takes on the burden of antagonist in the film, insofar as there is one.  He goads his children in to, at the very least, abnormal activities and, at the very worst, out-and-out creepy activities.  In this you are left to decide whether the parents truly think they are acting in the best interest of their children, or simply out of sociological curiosity.

Written by Ryan Venson

Poetic Justice

Starring: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur Directed by: John Singleton

I was enticed to watch the 1993 movie Poetic Justice after hearing the theme song "Again" on an 80s/90s R&B playlist Ryan put together.  I had been meaning to watch it for a while, but it was never a must-see.

The concept behind the movie seems pretty good – young Justice (Janet Jackson) who was devastated by the shooting death of her first boyfriend starts writing poetry to help her cope.  And she also learns to love and trust again after she meets Lucky (Tupac Shakur).

Overall, this movie was a real disappointment.  Having read a book of Tupac's poetry, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, I was hoping the movie would actually have Justice writing something deep and meaningful.  However, her scenes of 'poetry' are just her rambling in a notebook.

Also, Justice and Lucky pretty much hate each other through most of the movie.

Pretty much all of the characters except Justice and Lucky are very one-dimensional and seemed stereotypical.  Based only on this movie, it seems that everybody  in South Central LA has a short temper and a limited vocabulary of profanity, everybody knows somebody that's been killed by gang related violence, and there are a lot of people with alcohol or drug problems.

You actually get more information about Lucky than Justice – he's trying to be a standup guy – good job with the post office, trying to shield his daughter from her mama's messed up life and ensure she is raised with structure and love rather than chaos, he likes to hang out with his rapper cousin in Oakland. As Tupac is good looking and a good actor, this wasn't a problem.

There is minimal insight into Justice's life and background – outside the fact that she is a hairdresser, inexplicably owns a house, and is mourning her boyfriend – until midway through the movie she reveals a bunch of family history during a screaming match with her best friend.

I'm not saying the movie is all bad.  There is actually a really good scene where Justice, Lucky, Justice's friend Iesha (Regina King) and Lucky's co-worker Chicago (Joe Torry) crash a family reunion on their way to Oakland.  It is one of the least forced scenes in the movie and also includes an interesting cameo by a real poet.

If you:

• Like drama, drama and more drama
• Like the nostalgia of movies from the '90s
• Don't need to have a coherent storyline to enjoy a movie
• Are fascinated by movies where Janet Jackson REALLY shows a resemblance to her brother Micheal

Put it in the queue.

If you:

• Are irritated by characters that chew gum like it's their job throughout the entire movie
• Are offended by lots of profanity
• Like character development and an interesting plot

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

King's Speech and Gatoroid

This week Drew and I watched Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid, then the King's Speech.  Then a second helping of Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid.  The way we figured it, you can never have too much Debbie Gibson AND Tiffany...yes, both 80s pop stars share top billing...sandwiched around a grandiose Academy Award nominated period piece. .

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Mmmmm.....Debbie Gibson/Tiffany sandwich......

the-kings-speech

mega-python-vs-gatoroid-1

Speed Racer

Starring:Emile Hirsch,  Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

How the %&!# is Speed Racer a movie about love? I am sure that is what you were asking yourself when you saw this title come up. And you would be right to question this choice. On the surface, Speed Racer was a rather poorly reviewed film that many thought was all flash, and no substance. Of course, if you remember, I told you that much of the time context is key when talking about an emotional connection to a film, and this is an example of just such a connection.

To be honest, Speed Racer isn’t a great film. I believe it is better than the 38% it received from RottenTomatoes.com, but I am not here to argue with critics. The plot is pretty standard; Speed Racer and his family must race cars in order to stick it to the man. The Racer family is assisted with the help of the mysterious Racer X.  The plot is…okay, and the visual effects of Speed Racer are absolutely beautiful if you are will to accept it as “cartoony”.

The reason why I have included this particular film in a list of movies about love is because of the family dynamic, specifically the idea of being a brother. It wasn’t until I became older that I fully began to appreciate that I have two brothers. And while I will often complain about being the middle child, the truth is I wouldn’t want it any other way. Believe it or not, Speed Racer, in very broad strokes, paints of nice picture of what I like about having two brothers. The way Speed (that is the main character’s name) looks up to his older brother Rex, as though he were the example by which he should model himself, reminds me of how much I admire my own brother.  At the same, Speed knows the importance of trying to be the best version of himself knowing that his little brother is looking to him as an example. Whether I was successful at it or not, I’d like to think I tried to do that with my little brother.

Maybe most of the people out there will not like Speed Racer, and I guess I can understand why, but that does not mean that the film has no merit. Regardless of my own perceptions of the film, the importance of family is a theme that is heavily represented in this film, and that’s got to be worth something. So maybe I look at Speed Racer through rose colored glasses. Maybe my own connections have made me blind to some obvious flaws in the narrative. Maybe the fact that the young Speed Racer at the beginning of the film reminds me of one of my nephews, who I don’t get to see as much as I would like, has made me sentimental when I should try and be objective. All I know is that as the hassles of life take my brothers and I in different directions, watching this movie makes me feel connected to them, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Written By Drew Martin

Away We Go

Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph Directed by: Sam Mendes

How does a romantic comedy begin? The soothing sounds of Louis Armstrong or John Mayer will be blasting as the camera moves through the streets of New York City until we meet one of our leads who, in spite of their good looks, high paying job, and 3,000 square foot apartment, just can’t seem to find someone to date. You know how these movies don’t start?  With John Krasinski performing oral sex on Maya Rudolph while talking about “vaginal flavors” to deduce that she might be pregnant. These are the first frames of Away We Go.

When this film was released in theaters, I remember several critics disliking the film because of the lack of conflict between our two leads.  This is almost entirely true.  Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) are completely in love with each other, and not the kind of gooey Valentine’s Day commercial kind of love, but a very honest, vulnerable, and strangely funny kind of love. It is refreshing to be able to observe the relationship for what it is, and not have to constantly be waiting for some contrived reason to put a strain on their love that you know will almost instantly be resolved.

Rather, the conflict in Away We Go comes from other couples the Burt and Verona visit as they are trying to figure out where they should live when their baby arrives. Each couple seems to represent different archetypes of what can happen in a marriage. The couple who has become cynical to the idea of marriage and families. The couple who doesn’t believe in strollers, but does believe in breast-feeding until the child is 5, and practices the “family bed” method of sleeping. The couple who seem to have the perfect family of adopted children, but are hiding their despair over five miscarriages. To the man whose wife has just left him, leaving him to raise a beautiful little girl all on his own.  Oh there is plenty of conflict in this movie, but we are always anchored to Burt and Verona, to be reminded of what love can be.

I will warn you, Away We Go is rated “R”. While this film is immensely sweet, it also quite sad, and our characters react to the situations much like you and I would, thus there is a fair amount of foul language. I just don’t want you to be surprised when dialogue doesn’t feel anything like Sleepless in Seattle. In spite of the language and harsher elements used in the film, there is still enough childlike naivety in Burt and Verona to make the movie very enjoyable to watch.  By the end you are reminded that many of our own journeys lead us home.

Written By Drew Martin

The Young Victoria

Starring: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend Directed by: Julian Fellowes

I watched three movies touting themselves as love stories this weekend.  The Young Victoria was the one I liked best.  If you set aside scenes with courtly politics, grand parties and the palace, what the movie is really about is two intelligent people building a real relationship.  Which is a refreshing to watch.  (I watched about a season and a half of The Tudors and got a little tired of the King exercising his royal powers of seduction.)

What I really liked was that the movie portrayed the queen and prince as human – awkward and uncertain, petulant, passionate, curious, authoritative, vulnerable. They play chess, walk in the garden and write letters to each other.  Though Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) has been trained to court Victoria (Emily Blunt) with the aim of a politically-beneficial marriage, he chooses to court her with genuine interest and emotion.

There are still some points where Prince Albert comes to her rescue, but not in the traditional sense.  He treats her as a partner, not a pawn, and complements her strengths with his own.  The movie also illustrates Victoria growing into her power well – determined to do the right thing for her country and herself, but still having a lot to learn at first.

If you like:

• A more realistic depiction of romance and marriage than most movies (i.e. it takes effort and compromise, but the rewards are worth it)
• Historical dramas with elaborately gorgeous costumes
• English gardens
• Male characters sporting sideburns fashionable in the mid-1800s

Put it in the queue!

If you:

• Prefer your royalty decadent
• Think Prince Albert is only a type of tobacco or body piercing
• Don't watch movies with a PG or lower rating

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Serendipity

Starring:John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale Directed by:Peter Chelsom

Sometimes movies are like comfort food to me. If I am in a bad mood for any reason, I can throw in one of these movies and just forget about everything for a while. Serendipity definitely falls into the aforementioned category. There was a time when the second-run theater near my home town was playing Serendipity for what seemed like years. During that time I probably watched it a half-dozen times. There are worse ways I could have spent two dollars at the time.

Serendipity brings nothing new to the romantic comedy genre, but most people don’t watch movies like this to see something different. This movie plays on a hope that many people have; the idea that there is some great force drawing us to our true love. Many rom-coms use the idea of “the one” or “love at first sight”, but Serendipity is marginally different in that the characters are constantly discussing and trying to fight against these cliché notions.

The film begins with a chance meeting between Jonathan (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale). They spend one perfect evening enjoying all the charms of New York City. At the conclusion of the evening, Sara tries to give Jonathan her number, but fate steps in and the number is lost. Sara takes this accident as a “sign” and doesn’t give Jonathan the number again. Instead Sara devises a plan to let the universe bring them back together. She has Jonathan write his name and number on a five dollar bill then spends it, and she puts her information into a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera and sells it to a used bookstore. Sara does all this because she knows that eventually fate will lend a hand and bring the two back together.

The bulk of the film takes place a few years later, where both Sara and Jonathan, having never found each other,  are about to marry other people.  Let’s not pretend that we don’t know how this film ends. If for some reason you do not know how the formula for a romantic comedy works, please stop reading this now…

…

…

Eventually, after a number of wild goose chases and near misses, Jonathan and Sara do find each other, and from this comes the most annoying thing and my favorite thing about Serendipity. Both of our main characters are about to get married, and we the audience don’t want that to happen. It is genuinely sad when the relationship ends between Jonathan and his fiancée since she appears to be a wonderful person who just had the bad luck of falling in love with a man whose heart belonged to another. On the other hand, Sara’s potential husband is such a ridiculous tool, and it seems hard to imagine that she would have ever loved him in the first place. I don’t know why that always stuck in my craw, but it has.

My favorite thing is much simpler. When our film draws to its inevitable conclusion and Jonathan and Sara finally meet each other again after many years of searching and dreaming, at that moment when he sees her again…he has a tear running down his face. Just a simple moment of emotion that helps to bookend the film nicely.

Serendipity is not a great movie. However, it is great for what it is. This is a cotton candy genre, and Serendipity just stands out as being a little bit sweeter than the others. So just sit back, forget about the world for a while, cue the Nick Drake music, and enjoy Serendipty.

Once

Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová Directed by: John Carney

So I decided that I would write several reviews revolving around love…you know…for Valentine’s Day. The problem is that there are about a million movies about love, and even more when you start blurring the lines a bit. Sure, we can all agree that Love Story is in fact a decent love story, but what about The Fugitive? A wrongly accused man looking for his wife’s one armed killer might not push your buttons, but my first date consisted of making out with a girl in the back row of a theater while The Fugitive was playing…I was 14. Why The Fugitive? It was an hour longer than the other movie playing.

This of course is the problem with writing about love in movies… context. Often our emotional connections to a film have less to do with the movie itself, and more to do with whom we share the experience. Not to mention that love exists in many forms; romantic, paternal, sibling, bromance, farm animals (thanks a lot Black Sheep). My plan is just to shoot scattershot at the whole thing. What you get will be entirely dependent upon how I feel at the moment I sit down to write. I will try to watch some movies I haven’t seen before, but for the most part these reviews are different ways I have enjoyed watching love presented in movies over the years.

I think starting things off simply is the best way to begin anything. The 2007 film Once may be one of the simplest, yet most beautiful little stories about love that I have ever seen. A boy, a girl, a song, and one week in Dublin. The love in this movie is simple as well. Gone are the cliché moments that every romantic movie share, but rather we witness two lonely people who find each other. Over the course of this one week, we remember what the characters remember, there is magic in the connection between two people.

Of course the real magic of this film comes from the music.  In case I didn’t mention it, Once is a musical. Now I know that some people have an aversion to musicals, but you can make an exception this time. Like most musicals, the songs have a way of moving the story forward while saying what our characters cannot. Unlike most musicals, the songs never feel out of place or break the flow of the narrative. It is the organic nature of each song that makes their message resonate on a level that few songs or movies can.

Not everything I write about will be this short or absent of criticism. I thought the first movie should be something that I would feel comfortable recommending to everyone. Once may not feel like most romantic movies you’ve seen before, but that doesn’t mean that it should be counted as anything less than one of the great love stories in recent years.

Written By Drew Martin

Groundhog Day

Starring:  Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell Directed by:  Harold Ramis

In just six days, we'll know if six more weeks of winter are in store for us, keeping the deep freeze and snow going well into March.  I have heard that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous season-predicting groundhog, is rudely woken from its hibernation just to be trotted out for those few moments in the sun (or not) to determine if it will see its shadow.  Which does not seem very nice.

Also not nice would be having to live the same day over and over again. Phil (Bill Murray), a local weatherman who delivers the forecast with style and has an extremely high opinion of his skills, has to deliver his morning report from Punxsutawney, PA during the Groundhog Day festival.  Traveling with producer Rita (Andie McDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), Phil continuously acts like a conceited ass.

After getting stuck in town due to road closings from a blizzard he predicted would miss the area entirely, Phil and his crew are stuck in Punxsutawney.  And the next morning, Phil discovers he's stuck re-living February 2^nd.  Over and over and over again.  The alarm clock clicks over to 6:00 am, the radio station starts playing "I Got You Babe," and Phil gets another shot at the day.

Bill Murray is perfectly expressive in this role – the sheer befuddledness of Phil the first few times he repeats the day, the glee he takes in pushing the limits of indulgence (cake for breakfast, ridiculous behavior), the doldrums where he engages in several suicide attempts to see if death would release him from this odd fate.  He is also charmingly crafty, collecting information during every repeat in order to seduce women.  One such target is Rita, who is not easily wooed (evidenced by a montage of their evening dates ending with Phil getting a resounding slap in the face.)

The inventive ways Phil uses his seemingly infinite time are hilarious and clever – making this a very enjoyable film.

If you:

• Prefer slapstick romantic comedies to cerebal yet silly ones
• Can't get past a leading lady that is not Hollywood cute (i.e. Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, etc.)
• Don't want to see a movie where snow is a major part of the landscape – at least not in the next six weeks

Don't put it in the queue.

If you:

• Like the 'choose your own adventure' style
• Liked Scrooged
• Appreciate the absurd

Put it in the queue!

Written By Jennifer Venson

True Grit and The Social Network

True Grit

On the surface, this week's show appears to be one of the most intelligent yet. Ryan and I watched Oscar contending films True Grit and The Social Network. We also talk about number of other films that we have watched over the last week or so. We watched films from France, Belgium, Australia, and Sweden. We play it straight almost the whole time, then the "Beer Fairy" makes a visit. I think it adds to the show.

Social Network

The Informant!

Starring:  Matt Damon, Scott Bakula Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

I began watching The Informant! with the wrong impressions.  I thought it was mostly comedy, with a goofy corporate drone spilling the beans on illegal activities perpetrated by his employer and getting a kick out of playing secret agent man.

That's sort of what plays out in the movie, but it only scratches the surface.  It's like a half-truth, told to get you to pick up the bait…er film.  The whole thing is based on a true story – though once again, once the plot starts to unravel, you could probably say the movie is based on a pack of lies.

Mark Whitacre (played exceptionally well by Matt Damon) seems to be the accidental businessman.  He wears crazy ties to work, his mind always seems to be wandering (to a tie sale at Bachrach during an important meeting, for example) or pondering some tangent. He mentions at some point that he was a biochemist and pretty much fell into management as a way to advance. He eats dinner at home with his three kids and his wholesome, upper class June Cleaver-esque wife Ginger (Melanie Lynskey).

When the FBI get involved in a possible extortion situation with an international contact (Whitacre is the 'messenger' as the extorted called him), Whitacre takes the opportunity to confide to Agent Shepard (Scott Bakula) that the company has been engaging in price fixing.  He's gone along with it to keep his job, but is an unwilling party.

After some  waffling about whether or not he really wants to participate (he tells the agents several times there's been no more price fixing, then admits it's still happening and he's ready to cooperate with them), Whitacre zealously accepts his role.

At several points in the movie, the naïve relish with which Whitacre believes he is the 'guy in the white hat' makes you pause and wonder how this guy with a PhD can be so stupid to think that after the dust clears from the price fixing case that he will still be an invaluable employee – perhaps even in line to be company president when the other top executives have been fired/jailed.

Price fixing is just the first layer though.  There is other funny business afoot, brought to light by the investigation.  And there the movie takes a completely different turn. Immediately after I watched The Informant! I did not like it.  Now it's had a little time to sink in, I believe it was ok. It does plot twist and reveal MUCH better than any of the trendy psychological thrillers (I'm looking at you, Black Swan).

If you don't like:

• Corporate America
• the Government
• not having a clear distinction between the 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'

Take this movie out of the queue.

If you like:

• Tales of greed and deceptions lighter than Wall Street but not as funny as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• seeing a garage full of European autos
• movies where you're not sure what's really happening/true/etc.

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Starring:  Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell Directed by:  Andrew Dominik

I commonly listen to music scores via Pandora radio while I analyze or QC data at work.  (Vangelis, John Williams, Danny Elfman and Ennio Morricone stations are favorites of mine).  On one of these stations I first heard some absolutely beautiful, melodic and slightly sad themes from the score of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.  I had mentioned wanting to see this movie to Ryan, and his first comment was, "It's a long movie and I heard it's slow.  You won't like it."

Despite this, I was still interested. The film remained in our queue until it climbed to the top.  And then it sat around on the TV cabinet for about a month while we debated having enough time to sit down and watch it.  I really wish we had watched the movie earlier, as it is a good investment of 155 or so minutes.

First, I must disagree with the idea that it is a slow film.  True, there is only one action-packed train robbery sequence. Moments of comedy?  Not so much.  But it's a far cry from films where nothing actually happens.  Instead, it very deliberately moves toward the consummation identified in the title.

Perhaps it is because I already – in essence – knew what was supposed to happen, it made the pacing OK.  Like waiting for Christmas.  But I don't believe that's really it. All the scenes had some sort of meaning in the grand scheme of events.  Kind of like the mechanisms within a Rube Goldberg machine or dusty artifacts that shed light on a civilization's collapse.

The movie is totally character driven – their perceptions, conversations, motivations, fears, dreams and delusions are brought to life in an engaging enough way to make typical movie action unnecessary.   Jesse James (depicted with excellence by Brad Pitt) is so much more than a robber bandit – he is a driven, complex, and perhaps not completely sane man.  Robert Ford (played exceptionally well by Casey Affleck) grows in maturity throughout the movie, completely correct in his belief that his destiny is somehow tied to his childhood idol Jesse James.

If you prefer:

• action to contemplation
• cars to horseback
• the strong, silent hero to an awkward, outburst-y anti-hero

Don't add this to the queue.

If you like:

• Brad Pitt playing mentally unstable characters (a la 12 Monkeys, Fight Club)
• movies with a  historic flavor
• breathtaking landscapes

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Tron Legacy/Centurion

tron

Two films with a strangely similar stories to tell. Sure, one takes place in ye oldy times, while one exits inside a computer, but watch them both and you will see that it is true. Ryan watches a classic for the first time, I'll give you a hint...it isn't Garbage Pale Kids: The Movie...maybe next time. Also, how many trailers is the right amount before a movie? I can't be sure, but I think there were 83 trailers before Tron Legacy, and half of those were movies where Martin Lawrence was wearing a fat-suit. I may have to stop going to that theater. Anyway...enjoy the show.

This is Spinal Tap

Starring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest Directed by: Rob Reiner

Most of the best rock shows I have seen over the years involved some element of theatrics. Iron Maiden, seen at Ozzfest in 2005 (where they headlined because Ozzy was unable to play that day), certainly tops the list with multiple backdrop changes, a giant animatronic goat-man rising up out of the set and the Eddie mascot staggering across the stage.

Though I love rock concerts, I've never been much for recordings of live shows. You're either there, or you aren't. The only concert-based film I ever bought was a used VHS copy of Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same. Even when I bought CDs that had special concert footage features, I never watched them.

Perhaps that explains why I'd never seen This Is Spın̈al Tap. But probably it's because if you are familiar with the 'mythology' of rock culture and know what an amplifier looks like, you don't need to watch the movie to get the jokes.

That said, this movie is a very enjoyable nugget of pop culture and I'm a little sad I waited so long to see it. In addition to little digs at the history of rock such as silly-sweet 50s rock, fluffy folk rock of the 60s and the leather and glitter-encrusted glam metal era, tons of fun cameos are sprinkled throughout the film (like Ed Begley, Jr. as the band's first drummer and Billy Crystal as a mime).

If:

· you take your heavy metal band very seriously

· you've never been – or have no desire to go – to a rock show

· you are still angry with Yoko Ono for breaking up The Beatles

· heavy innuendo makes you uncomfortable

Don't put it in the queue.

But if:

· you like mockumentaries

· you like heavy metal for the sheer theatrics

· you like heavy metal for the same reasons you like pro wrestling (semi-shirtless men in costumes with tight spandex pants)

· you find humor in people taking themselves very seriously when they probably shouldn't

· you like to turn it up to eleven

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Black Swan

If you are like me, then I am sure that you are tired of all the movies that make up the "crazy ballerina" genre. In spite of that, we still decided to watch Black Swan. I will warn you now, Ryan and I do end up talking about this movie far more extensively than other movies. If you are wanting to see this movie, you might not want to listen to this show just yet. I don't think we really spoil anything, but we come awfully close to discussing the whole movie. Enjoy.

black swan