8 posts tagged “movie review”
I think you see what I'm saying! Elizabeth Banks played the girl that was wrong for him. Was she ever! Michelle Williams plays Cecil, the girl he should be with. I would watch Michelle Williams read the dictionary. Seriously! I love her! She is a cutie pie! Justin Theroux plays a total Meanie McLiferuiner, and rocks it. Also his hair defies gravity and looks like it should have a tiny surfer in it, that's how you know right away he is a bad guy. Paul Rudd plays Cecil's boyfriend, and even though he's only in a few scenes, he's funny as usual.
This movie is super good, and if you like movies that are happy, sweet, and tinglylike you would like this!
A+++
P.S. Watch all the way through the credits!
I must be a Philistine. I didn't enjoy this movie. I like Laura Linney (little crush). You know who I really liked? The kitty. The nameless kitty. Kitty's performance was great too. S/he really brought the fluffiness and realness of kittydom to the film. I looked in the credits, kitty wasn't even credited! No "Sweetie Pie as The Cat."
The only character I related to was kitty. The whole movie you're like "that poor kitty. Having to deal with them." And the end. Don't even get me started on the end. Whatev. I'm sure the characters' general unpleasantness and self-absorption was a "reflection on the state of upper class society/intellectuality/the literati itself" or some faux arty junk like that. I mean, I'm pretty pretentious when it comes to art (as a graphic design/illustration major I actually took a class entitled "The Art of Judging Art and Passing Judgement on Other People Judging Art"), but this too affected, even for me. Why should I care, really?
F yeah! I said it. F for faux arty!
I decided to make it a double feature tonight to get the gross taste of Thank You For Smoking out of my mouth!
Art School Confidential is based on a short (graphic) story by Daniel Clowes, the guy who brought you Ghost World. I liked this better than Ghost World. Maybe. Partially because it took me back to the art school days. The stereotypes in the movie are dead on. Especially "the mom." In every art class I took, there was a "mom." A middle aged lady whose kids have all grown up, and she now has time to explore her creative process. Most of these ladies have been doing watercolors and pastels in their spare time for 25 years, so they all feel like they're the art boss of you, since they've been arting since "before you were born." For reals. Enough about that!
Everyone is in this movie. I know what you're thinking. "Not everyone can be in the movie!" That's where you're wrong! Everyone is in this movie!!! John Malkovich (not as scary as usual), Angelica Huston, Steve Bucsemi, Ethan Suplee and the super awesome Nick Swardson (as Jerome's gay roommate who hasn't yet figured out his own gaiety).
The main character, Jerome, is played by Max Minghella, whom I've never heard of, but he does a very good job! Sophia Myles (Isolde from Tristan & etc.) plays his love interest. I like a good love story and ASC is predictable, yet totally unbelievable at the same time. I won't say too much because it is twisty.
In closing, beware of the extended full frontal (and backal) nudity scene featuring one of the creepiest looking guys ever captured on film. I think he played one of the scary guys in The Hills Have Eyes. Seriously! I didn't see it, but he creeped me out enough that I looked to see if he's been in anything else. To make you fully aware of the situation, in The Hills Have Eyes, he played someone named "Goggle." Honestly. That's too much. Regardless:
B (if they'd cut the freakish nude seen it'd have been a B+)
I am very disappointed in this. I guess I had high expectations though. Ick. I really wanted to like it. I tried. I don't really like writing bad reviews. I try to keep it positive, so I'm not even going to write about except to say that I liked Adam Brody's character, Jack. He was the only one who made me laugh.
D-
I prefer Gretchen Mol as Bettie Page to the real Bettie Page. I have never been a big Bettie fan. That being said, I can continue. I liked this movie, but even after watching it I feel like don't feel like I really know much about her as a person. It was more about how she modeled and acted than her personal life. Maybe she was very private and not much is known about it. You learned her general demeanor and her attitude towards modeling, but that is all.
I was also disappointed in the end. Approaching the end, I thought, "here is where we will get some insight into the real Bettie," but no such luck. She was just very, very ... simple. Not like stupid, just uncomplicated, and I find that hard to believe. I don't think it was Gretchen Mol's performance either. I think she did well with what was given to her. Ms. Mol was also very brave, with a full frontal nudity scene that seemed to last FOREVER. I mean, I felt shy for her. In truth, it wasn't that long, but I really wasn't expecting it! The supporting cast was also great. I love Lili Taylor no matter what, and as usual she was very good. David Strathairn gets a mention on the back cover, but he wasn't the movie for more than seven minutes total. Does his contract state that he can only do black and white movies (or maybe just period type pieces) or something? Did he realize that the grayness really brings out his long face?
On the upside, they do reveal some explanation for those crazy bangs she had!
C+
First, the main character is named Megan. What a rad name. Second, she likes the ladies and is a girly-girl herself. Third, she is nice to the point of semi-retardation. Fourth, she really enjoys button up cardigans and barrettes. Yeah! Clearly, I could relate!
But there's more! There are lots of colors. I am a big fan of colors! The whole movie is like a big rainbow. It had no choice. And sparkles too.
Hold on. That's not all. It has the most twee(est) soundtrack EVER. April March + Sissy Bar + Lois + Dressy Bessy(2) + Go Sailor(2) = supertwee = best! Yes, that's right, two Go Sailor songs! It rocked my life!
In the movie, Megan says, "It's not supposed to be intellectual, cheers are supposed to make people happy!" The same can be said about this movie. It's not thinky, just happy. This movie is my new favorite. Right up there with The Adventures of Milo and Otis.
A+++
P.S. Bonus junk! Girls!
- Natasha Lyonne (Megan) - Total cutie pie! Whoa!
- Melanie Lynsky (Hilary) - I've liked her since Heavenly Creatures (not liked liked but you know!)
- Katharine Towne - (Sinead) Punky Cutester!
- Clea DuVall (Graham) - A little tough for me, but whatevs!
Oh. My. God! This film is ROUGH. I don't know what to say! Hard Candy deals with some very serious subject matter, including, but not limited to, pedophilia. I read a little about the movie when it had its theatrical release, but I was still unprepared for what it was. I won't reveal very much, as there are many twists and turns.
In the movie, Jeff is a guy who likes to meet girls he talks to over the internet. Literally ... girls. Hayley is the first girl we, the viewer, actually see him interact with. She is sweet, smart and provocative. Cute, too (although she is fourteen in the movie, she is nearly twenty in real life). After meeting in a coffee shop, they both go back to Jeff's place, where the flirting continues and Hayley mixes drinks.
Ellen Page, who plays Hayley gives a great performance! She is so intense! As always, Sandra Oh is awesome, though her part is small. The use of color is excellent. Lots of primaries and creepy movie lighting. And check out the cover. It's so eyecatching. If you can handle the topic at hand, it is a very interesting and thrilling movie. It's hard to watch, and leaves you thinking, like good movies do!
A-
I've decided that I need to use my perks from the video rental establishment to write a review on each movie I watch. I get five free rentals a week, so I might as well make some use out of them.
Lonesome Jim features Casey Affleck (Ben's brother, I guess!) and Liv Tyler as the two main characters, Jim (surprise!) and Anika. Warning: I might be biased because I love Liv Tyler. Anyway, Jim is lonely, but outwardly he just seems depressed. Although he is supposed to be in his late twenties, he acts like an angsty teenager, and for no specific reason other than his life has not turned out as planned. Anika enters the plot like a a big ray of sunshine on his face when he is trying to sleepwalk through life. She is always optimistic and helping people, while Jim mopes around. Jim is very conflicted about everything. He wants to be happy, but he can't even get that right. He is so caught up in himself, he doesn't realize how he makes other people feel, and ends up being so hurtful he causes his older brother to attempt suicide (though his mom insists it was an "accident"). I won't say much about the second half of the movie because I don't want to spoil anything. I will say the movie would have been more compelling if the character of Jim had been written a little younger, but the movie does get better as it progresses.
The cinematography and soundtrack are great. I like the dull suburbia set against the neat harmonica music. It gives it a very distinctive feel. The box cover is also very cool.
P.S. It was directed by Steve Buscemi. Everyone knows he is the guy.
B+
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