Actual return to form

I've never been prouder as a brother. Ladies and gentlemen my sister has won scholarships, had incredible soccer games, performed heart-breakingly-beautiful solos in concerts, done good deeds for people, and helped me in times of my greatest need. I love her with all my heart. But never have I been prouder of her than during our drive home from work the other day:

[Scene: Late July, year 2009. A brother and sister pair are seated in a white car, stuck in traffic. They are meditative: the former humming to the song flowing softly and warmly from the stereo, the latter tapping gently with her finger upon the steering wheel. With sunlight pouring into the car and bathing them, the two can't help but flash gentle smiles expressing a distinct contentedness. Finally the reflective silence is broken by a thought instinctively turned to words.]

Alex: I love this soundtrack so much.

Em: Hm?

Alex: The 500 Days of Summer soundtrack.

Em: Oh, me too. I'm glad you brought it in the car. It's gorgeous.

Alex: When we get home I'll burn you a copy of it.

Em: That's okay. I want to get my own copy. Thank you, though.

Curtain

If there's anything every brother wants to teach his younger sister it's how to build a legitimate and impressive music collection. A tear nearly came to my eye. It was a beautiful moment.

I won't add anything. Nothing can follow that.

Oh, except a song. Lately I haven't been able to think of funny bad movies, so I'm going to call it quits on that series until I come up with a really good one. As for the song of the day, though, I stumbled upon it today and I really like it. Passion Pit - Moth's Wings (Manners). Enjoy:



#20: Kicking and Screaming (1995)



This fell into my hands thanks to Barnes and Noble's 50% off Criterion Collection DVDs sale. I hesitate to advertise that because I love the series so much and don't want other people going out and snatching them away before the sale is over, but I've already gotten most of the films I wanted, save a few.

I didn't know anything about this movie besides its premise, which seemed simple but really intriguing for obvious reasons: a group of recent college graduates who can't come to terms with an emergence into the real world, so they spend a year hovering around campus refusing to move on. It's a lot more mature than I'm making it sound.

Noah Baumbach has a short but impressive list of accomplishments. Though I haven't seen it I've heard excellent things about The Squid and the Whale, which he wrote. This film was written by him, as was (much to my surprise) what is probably my favorite movie of all time: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Assuming The Squid and the Whale is as good as everyone says it is--I own it but I have yet to watch it to verify this--Mr. Baumbach is a solid three for three, and with regards to the two I can speak of he's got two grand slams.

This was an absolutely hysterical smart comedy with a perfect cast, a rare sense of naturality and reality, and strong sentimental value. I only recognized any of the actors from small parts in TV shows and other little-known movies, but each of them can boast such spot-on deadpan delivery that I can see why Criterion decided to rerelease it less than ten years after its box office release.

There's a distinct 1990's feel to it despite the film really making no effort to highlight its era. I wasn't sure what to make of this but I've resolved that it's because of this wonderful nostalgia that punctuates the film as you follow the characters who have a reluctance to release (or, at the very least, briefly forget) the past. One of the most telling lines in the film (and one beautifully penned by Baumbach) is when one of the characters frustratedly confesses, "I'm already nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday." I can't speak for others but I know this is an emotion that is embarrassing to admit but often felt. The fact that he could capture this is an accomplishment.

And even beyond that line one of the strengths of this movie is just how quotable it is. The Criterion Collection cover is especially apt; while the other movies the series releases often utilize a famous image from the movie in some creative way, this one looks like a chalkboard littered with many of the clever quotes that can be found in the film. And there are plenty. One thing that you should know if you decide to see this film is that you will be reciting the lines with whomever you watch it with for the next three days.

And speaking of quoting (my paragraphs starting with the word "And" should communicate just how excited I am about this movie) it is here that I found what is now one of my favorite dialogues of all time. Maybe I'm simply feeling dramatic today after my little performance piece at the beginning of this blog entry, but I feel compelled to transcribe it for you. It involves the main character, Grover, and his girlfriend, and it strips the scene of the fabricated profundity that is often found in the typical love scene in lieu of an awkward but beautiful sentiment:

Grover: Okay, the way I see it, if we were an old couple, dated for years, graduated, away from all these scholastic complications, and I reached over and kissed you, you wouldn't say a word. You'd be delighted. ...probably. But if I was to do that now it'd be quite forward, and if I did it the first time we ever met you probably would have hit me.

Jane: What do you mean?

Grover: I just wish we were an old couple so I could do that.

It may seem sappy to some, but to me that was the college version of Jerry Maguire's infamous "You. Complete. Me." It resonates when you first see it.

The humor, the heartbreak, the numbness of the bridge from youth to adulthood is recreated flawlessly in this movie and I can't recommend it highly enough. Although I'm reluctant to because I love it, I'll lend it out if I have to. Just know I will kill you if I don't get it back.

Return to form (sort of)

Ladies and gentlemen, what have I done in a past life to deserve this:

1. I spend 45 minutes preparing the Mac for capturing one of the videos I've been working on for a month.
2. The computer begins to capture the video.
3. A customer walks in to laminate something, asking to check her e-mail while she waits.
4. My boss calls my name and nods to me to indicate that of the 20 computers in this room the woman selected the computer that I was capturing video on.
5. In less than 10 seconds she clicked around enough to cancel everything I'd captured over the course of an hour and a half.

Why not?

I didn't want to nap after work but now I'm almost certain that I'm going to have to. They've had half of the lights off today (as they sometimes do for reasons of which I am unsure) and that is the kiss of death. Only five and a half more hours. God help me.

Song for the day is one of my all time favorites: Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars. Reading that as a single sentence is pretty humorous. Anywayyy:



Yesterday while at Best Buy purchasing Shoot 'Em Up, The Ice Harvest, Definitely Maybe, and Blow (all on sale for anyone who is interested) I thought of a potentially hysterical proposed Blu-Ray release. Unfortunately I forgot it within the hour. I decided as a form of mourning I won't have one today. Yes, it was that good.

Someone brought to my attention that my list of potential Blu-Ray releases is, in effect, nothing more than a list of awful movies. I completely understand that. But it's funny to think of them going through the trouble of making these movies super high quality.

Before I begin my review I have an odd experience to document. I went into Best Buy yesterday to purchase The Wrestler (also on sale). I had seen the movie in theaters when it first came out and I really liked it. I had a bit of a spontaneous crisis when I picked up the movie in the store, however. It had never happened to me before. I realized that although I loved the movie I couldn't picture myself ever wanting to watch it again. After brief debate I put it back on the shelf and picked up Definitely Maybe instead which has a high rewatchability value, in my opinion. Funny how things work out...

#19: Public Enemies



It's strange that this is one of those movies that seems to have been in production for ages but when it finally came out there was little interest. I heard very few people talk about this movie and I know even fewer who have even seen it. When I went to see it on the 4th of July (its second week, I believe) my friend and I were two of eight people in the theater. I know it was the 4th of July, but it was a late enough showing that I figured people might go just for something to do in the wee hours.

While I can't say that this blog signifies a return to positive reviews I can at least say it represents a lift in tone from the last few entries. I enjoyed this movie. I didn't love it and I don't anticipate buying it when it comes out on DVD unless there are some truly killer special features, but it was a nice enough way to spend my 4th.

My mom told me about a review for the movie that called it all style and no substance. I'm willing to admit that this is largely true but I don't think it necessarily detracted from the film. The basic story of John Dillinger is known well enough that the filmmakers had the liberty of glossing over the details in favor of some interesting cinematic choices. For example, there was a film noir sort of feel to the movie that made it feel vintage but not dated. The perpetually dimly lit cities posited against the white-washed country helped convey the sense of the dramatic changes in setting that Dillinger had to make to keep himself concealed, and it also contributed to the vintage air. One of my favorite scenes was a premature raid on the hotel Dillinger was staying at and the subsequent scuffle that broke out. The lighting here was done perfectly--dark enough so that you get the sense of the complete lack of visibility, but lit as a movie has to be in order for the viewer to know what's going on.

Johnny Depp's performance was (unsurprisingly) wonderful. He played the cocky, charming protagonist flawlessly and his quiet but confident challenges of authority never got tiring. What was actually disappointing, in my opinion, was Christian Bale's performance. There were moments where his character seemed so forced that you sensed an actual struggle for him to keep it up. This, of course, makes me wonder if Depp IS the Riddler in the final Batman movie if he will completely overshadow Bale and ultimately end the series on a sour note, but that's just because I'm a Batman fanatic and that is a legitimate concern of mine. It could just be that Bale had to play the stern, humorless cop hell-bent on finding Dillinger at any cost.

If we are to assume that Bale played the character the way he was supposed to, I think that it adds even more to the film's final scene--by far the highlight of the entire piece. Bale was left out of it entirely because it involved an outpour of emotion that Bale's character likely would have had no reaction to despite the fact that his character seemed to be necessary at the conclusion. I can add this to my list of summer movies that included perfect endings that resonated the way a good ending should.

Unfortunately there isn't much more to say about the movie besides I liked it. The reason I included my little anecdote about The Wrestler at the beginning is because when that happened I realized how I felt about Public Enemies. I enjoyed it when I saw it and can acknowledge it as a solid movie, but I don't think I could ever watch it again. Bale, Depp, and Marion Cotillard (who also gave an excellent performance) collaborated on what was an entertaining movie that will likely be forgotten when scanning lists of their roles ten years from now.

We've come a long way

Despite being spacey (spacy? idk) throughout the weekend for whatever reason, I have two distinct pleasures to speak of.

The first is 500 Days of Summer, which I will write more about when it's up for a blog (which should be soon) but I have to say now that it was even better than I anticipated. I'd love to see it again. (Takers? Any?)

The second is a twofer: seeing my roommate and getting to go to the Rancid/Rise Against show. Besides having missed my bro immensely, we got to see two excellent bands and enjoy a mostly gorgeous day in Philly. Also, thanks to his new job in Newark, we can resume our plan of getting an apartment together. By the way, we don't call each other bro seriously; it's as a joke. I just had to clear that up.

Lot of tools at the show. Maybe that's what's had me particularly snippy the last few days. I'm talking wife-beater, roidin' out, drunk before the first band went on tools. Admittedly that detracted a bit from the experience.

Video for the day comes from an excellent song that was perfectly utilized in 500 Days of Summer. Anyone who's seen the trailer has probably heard snippets of it already. It's even better once you see the movie and hear the song in context, but it's pretty darn great on its own, as well. It's called Sweet Disposition by a band called Temper Trap.



Additionally, because I can only embed video into the blog, I am going to link to what I think is an excellent cover of one of my all time favorite songs--Paul Simon's Graceland. The band is Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (a mouthful of a name, I know) and the guy did a really cool warm electronic version of it. I just recently bought a 7" of the song because I love it so much (and anyone who knows me knows how much I love vinyl). If you feel like straying just one site away, check the song out here.

Blu-ray release of the day: School for Scoundrels. MOVING ON.

#18: Year One



I'm excited for the blog entry in which I can return to writing a good review. Spoiler alert: this isn't it.

I saw this for the same reason I saw Step Brothers: I thought it would be one of those movies where the trailer spews instances of popular slapstick humor when the film is actually filled with clever adlibbed banter from talented comedic actors. Step Brothers delivered, Year One did not.

It's not that I was miserable in the theater for the less-than-90-minute duration of the film, it's simply that about 98% of this movie simply wasn't funny. At first I couldn't figure out why. I was sitting in the theater bored and waiting for some scene that could salvage the entire movie, but then I realized what the hang-up was.

The problem here, I think, was that the creators of Year One couldn't decide if they wanted it to be a raunchy, irreverent teen comedy or a cute, good-natured family film. Had it subscribed to one and abandoned the other, I have every bit of faith that this could have turned into a good movie.

A good example of the former category would be the aforementioned Step Brothers. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly must have been told "All right. Have at it." and beyond a loose script were probably given free reign to do what they want. If any pair can do raunchy well it's the two of them. They go over the top with a complete sense of awareness. They realize it isn't the raunchiness that makes the humor effective but rather the awkwardness with which its delivered. When one of the two spouts an angry, profanity-laden insult with complete certitude despite the fact that it doesn't quite make sense you know it's the context and not the content that is intended to be funny. I don't think people give Will Ferrell enough credit; he's been reduced to a shock-comedian rather than a genuinely intelligent artist. He's no Carlos Mencia. I firmly believe there's a method to his madness.

Year One could have used Will Ferrell. It needed him, in fact. The irreverent, inappropriate parts were made silly instead of awkward to the point where they were simply annoying. Having scenes in Sodom and Gomorrha seems incredibly promising; there is a copious amount of jokes to be made there. But resorting to an obviously intentional over-reptetition of the word "penis" doesn't bring the audience back to the days of being an immature middle-schooler but rather poses the question, "Would I have even thought this was funny back then?" I'm willing to guess that the answer is no. There was a distinct sense of holding back in the movie--as if they weren't willing to plant the film entirely in the realm of the humorously profane. So the parts in which they did indulge were out of place and, more importantly, poorly implemented. Rather than the delightful awkwardness one might find in Step Brothers, Year One became that class clown in high school too dull to ever get a laugh out of anyone.

Then there's the second category from which Year One misses the mark: the pleasant family flick. I think the perfect example of this is Night at the Museum (the first one, because I can't speak for the second). I wasn't expecting to enjoy the movie when I saw it, but it's so light-hearted and fun that you can't help but appreciate it. It's cutesie but not in an overly-sappy sort of way, and the jokes in the film have a manifest appeal to a younger audience but a latent meaning for adults--similar to Spongebob. Had the movie settled on this blueprint they could have used Jack Black's energy and Michael Cera's deadpan so much more effectively. The jokes that tried so hard to utilize whatever they could pull off with a PG-13 rating could have been left out and the film could have been devoted to clever biblical jokes, anachronisms, and the potentially rich juxtaposition of Michael Cera's perpetual uncertainty and Jack Black's senseless over-confidence.

The result of neglecting both of these standard comedic categories was an unquotable, unmemorable movie that largely wasted the talent of two good actors. There were two parts I can remember that I laughed at--coincidentally (or maybe not) one from each of the classifications I felt the movie tried to avoid. The potential was there, but what's good in theory clearly doesn't always work in practice.

Fill-in

Work was far too swamped today for me to keep up my movie blog entry, but rather than simply skip the day I've decided to instead submit a shorter entry on my new enemy: the 40" laminator.

Before I begin, today's video is Samson by Regina Spektor. The video is just the lyrics (there is no official video) and although normally I prefer to choose something with an interesting visual companion, this song is simply too good to pass up. Enjoy:



How about Without a Paddle on Blu-Ray? Eh?

Anyway, as for my new enemy, today I battled with the laminator for about 45 minutes sufficiently singing the tips of my fingers, tearing open my palm with the scissors I was using, and, worst of all, breaking my spirit. Rather than hit a pillow, I've decided to take my frustration out more constructively. Without further ado:

Peaceful Resistance
By Alex Witkowski

According to your manual it's simple:
Color coded and labeled just like so many things now.
And I know organization
If my alphabetized music collection is any indication.

So the blue goes to blue
And red to red
The top one hooks on here
And the bottom one hooks on
Right
Wait
Okay
There we go.
Just let it run and

Stuck?

This can't be right.

Peeling plastic from your two-hundred degree element
I never knew a sheet could get so hot
Like the back of my neck from the customers breathing on it.

Ouch.
All right.
Start over.

So the blue goes to blue
And red to red
The top one hooks on
Right
Okay, here
And the bottom
Whoops
And the bottom one hooks right on here
Wait
No
On here
Now I'll let it run and

What?

Following pictures precisely
Whose right is right?
Because mine's apparently wrong.

And the third time might be the charm
If the adhesive weren't glued to the element
If my fingers could handle the heat
If the scissors could cut through glue
If your diagram was right in the first place
And maybe if I hadn't
That one time
Called you a no good piece of crap.

0 for 2

As it turns out my memory is better than I give it credit for; there wasn't any movie between Away We Go and Up that I forgot about. Now if I could only remember where I put my wallet...

I'm not even certain I'll finish this blog today. There are 13 people in the office currently with no signs of the day letting up. I have a feeling come 5:00 I am going to be very tired and have a debilitating headache. Stupid MUSE program.

I'm excited because pending disaster (my new favorite phrase) I will be seeing 500 Days of Summer this Thursday. This will be good both because I've been wanting to see the movie for a long time and because I am getting near-up-to-date with blog posts for the movies I've watched and I want to make sure I always have something to write about on any given day.

Life is pretty dull without play rehearsal. Rather than get home from work and go straight to a purposeful and enjoyable rehearsal, I'm going home and taking a long, ill-timed nap, waking up at 9 p.m., and sitting wide-awake at 2 a.m. to start the cycle all over again. College is over, but the college lifestyle apparently is not.

Today's video is a song on the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack which I serendipitously heard yesterday on a random CD I pulled from my "To be listened to" pile. It was covered (very well, might I add) by the band Ghost Mice, but this original is by The Smiths. The song is There is a Light that Never Goes Out:



Highly anticipated Blu-Ray release of the day? Gigli. Too easy? I'm not feeling creative today...

#17: The Constant Gardener



I could have sworn I heard about this movie a while back during award season. Either I'm mistaken or 2005 was a slow year for movies.

I found this movie at Shoprite when there was a bin of $5 dvds with an additional 50% off. I figured I couldn't possibly go wrong for $2.50 a movie--that's cheaper than renting. Granted, this isn't my type of movie; in fact, it falls into one of the few genres of film that I specifically dislike. It takes a lot for me to enjoy some thriller spy-game type movie and this one is no exception. I love Ralph Fiennes, but even he couldn't make this movie work. It was long, boring, and as unthrilling as a thriller could possibly get.

Two negative reviews in a row...maybe I'm ready for the New Yorker.

To be honest there was so little to this movie that I'm not sure how much I even have to say about it. I like Ralph Fiennes a lot, but coming into this having heard that the story revolved around his character's wife's abduction I expected something like Liam Neeson in Taken--a man on a mission going around busting skulls until he gets what he wants. That isn't to say that needless violence necessarily makes for a good movie, but after Ralph Fiennes' character in this I would almost rather a cannibal.

There is nothing heroic about this protagonist. I know that not every protagonist needs to be heroic, but for the nature of this story it's apparent that they wanted a hero. Fiennes instead comes off as timid and flat. The one memborable confrontation he is involved in in the film is when he gets the snot beaten out of him in a hotel room where, despite obvious signs someone is in the room, he still tiptoes in more petrified than determined. The viewer's primary emotion is not hopeful that he get to the bottom of what happened to his wife but rather shocked that he's even gotten as far as he has given his soft-spoken, weak, and often naive character. The grizzly, manly picture of him on the movie poster is false advertising if I've ever seen it.

I'm also not quite sure where the advertised thrills came in. There were multiple moments where the writers obviously hoped for viewers to have that "Oh my God! It all makes sense now!" moment, but every time a scene like that came up I found myself already aware of the big epiphany that was supposed to occur. I don't mean that in a "I totally guessed that was going to happen" sort of way; I mean that the big revelations supposed to occur typically revealed information that, as far as I know, had already been revealed. There was this bizarre sense of redundancy throughout the movie when by the end I realized I couldn't possibly be captivated by the puzzle the plot solved when I hadn't been aware of any puzzle in the first place.

It isn't really that I can call this movie bad so much as dry. There was simply nothing at all memorable about it. I can't recall a single character's name and besides flashes of personality from Rachel Weisz's character there was little substance to anyone or anything in the film. The relationship between Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz was hardly believable, the plot had little direction, and the hair-raising finale that the back of the DVD promised was non-existent. Besides a mildly interesting eulogy at the end--I'd tell you for whom, but I don't remember--the ending was about as memorable as the middle, which was about as memorable as the beginning. If there was a climax to the movie, I must have blinked and missed it.

Taking the third dimension for granted

I'm back for my second consecutive post. Maybe I'm onto something? Diligence? I don't want to speak too soon...

I'm fairly certain I saw something between Away We Go and the movie I'm reviewing in this blog, but my list is at home and I can't recall what that movie is. I'll have to pick it back up tomorrow with the one I think I skipped.

Today is not going well. The following is the chronology of my day in the 4 hours I've been awake:

1.Wake up 20 minutes late.

2. Wearing glasses in the pouring rain.

3. Takes an hour and forty minutes to get to work as opposed to one hour.

4. Parking lot one building away is full so we have to park completely across campus in an uncovered lot.

5. Find out the video project I left over night didn't work so I have to start all over.

6. Least favorite customer of all time is my first customer of the day; informs me he'll be in every day this week

I'll update readers on whether or not I can add to the list. Misery loves company, but if I've learned anything it's that it also loves more misery.

Awaited Blu-Ray release of the day: Orange County (and, if I'm not mistaken, Jack Black is in the lead regarding the tally of actors in what is essentially a list of crummy movies)

As for my music video of the day, I wouldn't call this their best song--that distinction goes to Black, coincidentally after naming Jack Black our king of bad movies--but this is the first song of theirs that I heard and it's incredibly addicting. Great lyrics, great melody, all around great song: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe by Okkervil River.



#16: Up



There are three types of movies for which there seems to be a gag order when it comes to speaking ill of them: Racism movies, Holocaust movies, and Disney Pixar movies. I say "Enough." I'm breaking the silence.

I am so tired of Disney Pixar movies. Honestly the organization could release a three hour film on the benefits of drinking and driving and it would be praised by every critic and viewer with two thumbs to put up. It's just animation, people. I don't understand.

I know that Disney films to begin with aren't particularly creative. Snow White, Cinderella, Pocahontas et al are all basically interchangeable, but the difference is they're acknowledged as charming little childhood memories one can't help but love. Whatever Pixar movie is coughed up every year ends up heralded as groundbreaking cinema for all ages to enjoy...or else. There is nothing especially notable about any of them besides the early ones that were, in fact, new, exciting, and creative. Toy Story, for example, will never grow tiresome. On the other hand, does anyone remember Cars? No? It's because it wasn't a good movie. And yet it still was nominated for countless awards and made boatloads of money in ticket and merchandise sales the year it came out.

That's my Disney Pixar rant. As for Up, specifically, I went into it with an open mind remembering the movies I really enjoyed like Monsters, Inc. I also went into it having had how UNBELIEVABLE it was shoved down by throat by every friend and acquaintance that crossed my path. I was able to shut those voices out last year when the name WALL-E rattled in my ear drums for what seemed like 6 months, but I decided to relent in this case--particularly for the 3-D.

I could have simply written "Profound waste of money" and published my blog but I should explain myself. First of all, anything can be advertised in 3-D. In fact, if I ever run out of hilarious potential Blu-Ray releases, I will start a "Movies that should be released in 3-D" list. Essentially I paid an extra $4 to see a 2-D movie wearing ridiculous 3-D glasses that gave me a headache. One scene--ONE SCENE--was noticeably 3-D and the rest were simply slightly raised figures on a blurry background. It's obvious that this was yet another ploy to make a profit both because people are more inclined to see a 3-D movie (I saw My Bloody Valentine, didn't I?) and because viewers have to pay $4 for 3-D glasses that probably cost $0.75 to make.

Even without the issue of the fake 3-D this movie isn't good. There are films with an annoying character, but this film boasts three distractingly annoying characters--that damn boy scout, that damn talking dog, and that other damn talking dog. Annoying characters with annoying voices do not an entertaining movie make. No character is likeable here. By the end of the film I had lost all of the sympathy I had for the old man because I was so frustrated with every character in the movie. All I heard from everyone is "Oh my God, the beginning of Up is sooooooooooo sad!!" Let me do you one better: the whole movie is sad.

One of the biggest complaints I have about the movie is its refusal to commit to being realistic or fantastic. The concept--a man flying a house with balloons--is obviously unreal, but the creators attempted to justify it by giving an elaborate justification for how he rigged the system. A talking dog is similarly unreal (and, in my opinion, unnecessary) but rather than simply pulling a Disney and having a talking dog they offered a half-assed explanation as to why dogs were talking in the movie. Personally I feel as if it might have served the creators better simply to acknowledge the plot as inherently fantastic and spend less time trying to compensate for holes.

Admittedly the opening of the film was an effective emotional appeal; it was actually somewhat more heavy-handed than I anticipated from a Disney film. I know that we've seen (spoiler alert!) Simba's father and Bambi's mother die, but here there was something more proximal about the death that made it somewhat harder to swallow. It was realistic in that the death came of old age rather than some unfortunate circumstance, which is different than the typical Disney plot.

I can appreciate, also, that the film didn't harp on the depressing dimension of the plot as that would have been daunting for the audience. It established motive for the main character and although it was periodically reiterated it wasn't until the end that the real heartbreaker came. The film actually has me somewhat concerned that Disney will have to become increasingly depressing to captivate audiences the way they so obviously hope to.

I'm not sure if the movie would be so disappointing had it not received a rave review from every single person that saw it. I was expecting something really uplifting (and no, I'm too disappointed for that to be an intentional pun) but I was far too overwhelmed by the shortcomings and faults of the movie that I hardly remember any of the positives. So let me be likely the first person you hear proclaim "I didn't like Up" and "I'm tired of Pixar." And if I'm dead by morning, you know Walt made it happen.

Return!

This time my absence is entirely justified! I just got finished with five of the most amazing days of my increasingly less young life: the long-awaited Godspell performances. I probably said before that this was the only show I've ever done and I don't think I could have possibly asked for a better experience. The cast became so close and all of the negatives I'd always heard about high school plays (the cattiness [is that a word?], the stress, etc.) were entirely absent from this. I can't even explain how much I'm going to miss rehearsals, performances, the crew, and the cast. Thank you to everyone who came to see me!

I think it's safe to say that I won't be hitting my 100 film quota this summer, but I am going to keep going as if I would. It's not like I want to watch movies any less now that my goal is out of reach, so I'm going to keep watching and blogging until the proverbial cows come home.

I almost couldn't think of a song I wanted to include in today's blog but then I remembered this one. It's called Last Goodbye and it's by Monsters are Waiting:



Oh and I almost forgot the daily awaited Blu-Ray release! Try this one on for size: Agent Cody Banks. BOOM!

I'm mildly concerned that the longer layoff I have between blogs the more and more I forget about these movies. Luckily the movie today's entry is about was a gem!

#15: Away We Go



I don't see this movie having much chance of getting a wide release and I'm going to have to drop a geriatric phrase on you to express my feelings about that: it's a cryin' shame. What had previously been a summer of movies ranging from ho-hum to pretty solid immediately turned the corner with this film, so congratulations readers; you get to read my first truly glittering review!

First off, know that I love John Krasinski. I used to have a man crush on Zach Braff but that has dramatically faded over the last few years so I can now safely say my sole man crush is John Krasinski. I'm not sure what his range as an actor is because I've really only seen him play a few different versions of the same charming awkward guy character, but in terms of that character one couldn't cast the part better than to choose him. With that said, John Krasinski is perfect for his role in this movie. He makes an already well-developed and well-written film even more enjoyable.

Although I wasn't familiar with Maya Rudolph prior to this movie--apparently she is/was on Saturday Night Live?--I wasn't convinced the relationship between the two main characters would be believable. I've been conditioned to see "Jim and Pam" thanks to my Office experience, so anything apart from that pairing seems strange to me. The two could not have made the spark more believable, though. The struggles they go through are tangible, the stupid arguments over minutia they get into are so incredibly real, and they play in love with each other SO well that you'd think they came into the parts already married. This is partly a testament to the writing as the snappy dialogue really helped solidify the relationship between the two characters, but it also speaks volumes about the charisma of the cast.

I'm not quite sure who to credit with the humor. I know Dave Eggers has a knack for dry humor, but I'm not especially familiar with Vendela Vida or Sam Mendes' work. Besides being incredibly emotional, the film had some honestly side-splitting comic moments that were achieved as much through verbal exchanges as through scenarios and even facial expressions. I hardly think it was coincidence so much as it seems like all parties involved found some incredible harmony working on this movie. For one of those indie films about identity discovery through a bizarre journey, I would have to rank this as the best I've seen (and yes, that includes you Garden State).

Scenery is one thing that I cannot rave about enough for this film. I thought that Summer Hours implemented scenery well, but the stark differences that can be seen between settings as the characters transition from place to place was so purposefully done. The final one, especially, complimented the scene so well that no one in the theater was quite willing to get up out of his or her seat as the credits rolled and the music started; it lingered like the last sentence of a great book.

I had to force myself to make this short since I have so much to say about what has been thus far my favorite film of the summer, but when this movie is released on DVD anyone even mildly intrigued by the trailer needs to see it immediately. I cannot advertise it positively enough. Everyone involved with it seems to have added some invaluable piece to what was ultimately a truly remarkable whole.

Return to glory

It's been a while, readers--whomever of you are left if there were any to begin with. I don't know how to check views on my blog and I'm not particularly interested in figuring that out; I imagine it would be incredibly humbling.

Rather than another list of Blu-Ray releases that I think would be hilarious to see I've decided to list them as they come to me. Today's: Shallow Hal.

For anyone interested, Godspell is showing this week (July 15th-July 19th). We've had a few really stellar performances and I'm finally in a place where I think things are going to go really well, so now I'm inclined to pimp the show. I'd love to see anyone who is willing to come! You'll get to sing me sing and dance and act and make a fool of myself. In one particular number, the choreographer told me I have to dance like a "sex kitten, like a showgirl with fishnets and high heels." I still haven't quite forgiven him. Potential blackmail! Support us! The link to information is http://www.johnur.com/wcyp/index.htm .

It was a long long long long weekend of play rehearsals. I'm still sad it's coming to an end.

I'm toying around with the idea of no longer embedding videos into my blogs because they don't fit in the little middle part as I've found out, and symmetry and visual neatness is important to me. I've been listening to this song far too much, though. I saw it in a trailer for an incredibly interesting looking movie called $9.99. It's about the meaning of life, so if that doesn't intrigue you I don't know what will. Check it out.

Anyway, I researched it and it's actually by Spiritualized, and it's a cover of a song by the Troggs called Any Way that You Want Me. The video's old and fuzzy, but the song makes you want to go out and do something worthy of a movie scene:



Onward and upward:

#14: Best in Show



I've periodically seen trailers for Christopher Guest movies and they all looked virtually identical to me. That isn't to say that they didn't look somewhat interesting--though I never had more than a passing consideration of renting one--I just didn't understand why someone wouldn't try to branch out at least somewhat with regards to cinematic style. I hadn't known many other directors to release such consistent movies let alone one who really isn't all that well known outside of the indie sphere.

I finally learned that Guest has an M.O. of sorts; his movies apparently are always mockumentaries of realms apt to harboring eccentrics--musical theatre performers in Waiting for Guffman, folk music artists in A Mighty Wind, and, in the case of Best in Show, overbearing dog owners. I'm not sure why I didn't put two and two together sooner, but that explains his consistency. There. Now that that's settled...

I wonder if with the recent resounding success of the Office Christopher Guest will get some press thanks to his comparable delivery. I think that that's an important strength of the mockumentary--the matter-of-fact presentation of situations that are anything but matter-of-fact. I've been a fan of deadpan for as long as I can remember, and here Guest shows he can film a screaming match between husband and wife dog owners and still manage to keep it subtle. That takes talent.

Another strength of this movie is the cast, but not because of the actors used. Somehow Christopher Guest made Eugene Levy tolerable. That is an incredible accomplishment. The beauty of this movie is its cohort of B-list actors that become endearing when none of them are given too much screen time. A movie starring Ed Begley Jr. or Michael McKean would probably just annoy me, but suddenly the formula works when an already short movie is broken into segments with no one actor dominating the film's run.

The problem is that for some reason I can't rave about this movie. I thought it was very funny and I intend to see his other films because of this one, but nothing about it necessarily jumps out at me. I was going to buy it but I just couldn't convince myself that I'd hit a day where I wanted to watch it again. Not every good movie needs to be rewatched, though, so I'm not sure how much that says about the film's quality. The entire movie consisted of inherently funny situations and there were certainly more than a few laugh-out-loud moments (many of which were reserved for a gum-flapping Fred Willard announcing alongside an increasingly exasperated Jim Piddock). Its nature was unique and in an age where I am consistently complaining about how every movie is either based on a true story, based on a book, a sequel, a prequel, a remake, or an adaptation, I appreciate creativity more than ever. Something here just has me snagged.

Ultimately, though, I would recommend the movie to anyone looking for something to watch. I'd suggest renting it over buying it, which most normal people do anyway while I just buy things and risk my feelings toward them. It's slow moving, so if you're looking for a romp this won't tide you over, but it's incredibly entertaining and it proves that Guest is a talented actor, writer, and director. I wonder if the remaining films of his will slip from the "really like" to "love" category; the framework is certainly there.

Cop out

So, here's the thing: I have a script to study and I'm not in a great mood for some reason I'm not quite sure of. I don't want to short-change a movie review when I'm bitter and not willing to inject enthusiasm into what should be a whimsical entry.

So I thought to myself, "What are ways one can express himself when he is in an eddy of negativity that will not give off a negative tone?" A depressing preface didn't make the list, but it's too late.

1. Brief reminders on sticky notes (not including "F*** everything", "I hate the world", etc.)
2. Limericks
3. Pantomime
4. Spelling things out in Legos

I could continue, but I ultimately settled for a list. Lists are innocuous and will surely masque my true downer emotions at the moment. Let 'er rip.

Movies that need to be Released on Blu-Ray before I Consider Making the Transition
*Some may have already been released, but I need all of them*
1. Welcome to Mooseport
2. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
3. Bushwhacked
4. Eight Legged Freaks
5. My Super Ex-Girlfriend
6. Joe Dirt
7. Ready 2 Rumble
8. Me, Myself, and Irene
9. Freddy Got Fingered
10. Bubbleboy
11. Dumber and Dumberer
12. Jack
13. Guess Who
14. The Best of Saturday Night Live: Chris Farley
15. Hidalgo
16. Envy
17. Mr. 3000
18. Just Married
19. My Best Friend's Girl
20. Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
21. Employee of the Month
22. Jersey Girl
23. Baseketball
24. Blade 2
25. The Santa Clause 3

I could do this for days.

Oh, before I go, let's add an element: the actor or actress that appeared most frequently in these movies wins. Or loses. No, no, definitely wins.