many good movies....

WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY is not your typical romantic comedy. However, once you get past the inherent darkness of the framing of the story, you find an incredibly optimistic and sweet film. Patrick Fujit (who didn’t love ALMOST FAMOUS?) plays Zia, our hero. After slitting his wrists, he finds himself in a strange afterlife where those who commit suicide go. He explains it as being like real-life, but slightly worse. While there, he meets some people, and learns that his girlfriend has also committed suicide, and with his new friend, sets out on a road trip to find his lost love. Along the way, he meets Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon) who is looking for the people in charge, as she has been sent to this underworld by mistake. WRISTCUTTERS is a dark film, but is really more of an optimistic film about love. With great laughs, and a fabulous cameo featuring Will Arnett (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT forever!), this is one of my favorite movies of the year. I hope that Patrick Fujit will continue to work, as I find him such a compelling guy. If you want to see another great movie, besides ALMOST FAMOUS, that he is in, check out SAVED!

Final thoughts: A funny, sweet, and sad romantic journey. One to check out.

MICHAEL CLAYTON is everything a movie should be. It is well-acted, well-directed, incredibly suspenseful, deals with timely issues, and is interesting to boot! Plus, it doesn’t apologize for being a smart movie….expecting the audience to participate on the journey. George Clooney plays clean-up lawyer Michael Clayton, and oh, does he wear his business suits well. What is it about this guy? He is a real movie-star – gorgeous to look at, a good actor, and has this aura about him. Suffice it to say…I have fallen under his spell. Michael Clayton’s colleague and friend, Arthur Edens (played by the always dependable Tom Wilkinson) has a psychotic break while working on a class-action suit that he has been working on for over six years. Brought in to smooth things over with the company council that Edens was representing, Karen Crowder (played by the always fabulous Tilda Swinton), Clayton finds himself involved with something major, that might be bigger than just Edens having a bad day. This movie takes twists and turns all over the place, and is able to balance Clayton’s professional work with the personal issues he is having to deal with as well. It is a great movie, and will resonate with you long after the final credits role.

Final thoughts: Not only a well-made movie, but a good movie. Grab that popcorn and enjoy the ride….

DAN IN REAL LIFE is a movie that I have looked forward to for a couple of reasons. First, I heart Steve Carell, and have been a fan of his since he was a reporter on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, and secondly, the cast includes several notable NYC actors. The movie was what I hoped it would be. Sweet and funny, it showed a pretty realistic journey of a man who meets the right woman in the wrong circumstances. Dan (Carell) is a widower with three daughters who is headed up to his parents house for a long weekend. Once again, his family is all over him about getting out there and dating again. He heads out to pick up the papers, and meets a lovely girl played by Juliette Binoche. He heads home with a certain glow, and then meets his brother’s girlfriend….the girl from the bookstore. Is it slightly contrived…yes. Do you still find yourself invested in the situation….yes. Okay…now the game is called: find the Broadway star! Check out Norbert Leo Butz as Carell’s brother. You might know Norbert from WICKED (original Fiyero), or from his Tony-Award winning turn in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. Also, make sure to look for Matthew Morrison as the cop. He was the original Link in HAIRSPRAY and the love-interest in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

Final thoughts: Go with a girlfriend, eat some chocolate, have some giggles, and enjoy a pleasant afternoon at the movies.

did you know.....

...that this is what brussell sprouts look like in their natural habitat?

This blows my mind.

more weekends, more movies

On Sunday, I took the walk of shame to 84th Street Loews to indulge in my love of Dwayne Rock Johnson in the Disney flick, THE GAME PLAN. Not as bad as I expected it to be, I enjoyed watching him gallivant around in a towel. He is quite dreamy. Moral of the story: fame and wealth isn't everything.

Final thoughts: If you like sports-like Disney films...see it. If not, don't worry, you're not missing much.

The weekend before last, a friend came to the city for a visit, and we went crazy. In the three days that she was here, we saw three movies (thoughts below), one Off-Broadway show (the hilarious Forbidden Broadway), visited the Natural History Museum (see photo), and went out to eat five times. Needless to say, I was (and still am) exhausted. It was a great weekend, and I am so sad that the visit ended.

On to the movies.

THE KINGDOM

THE KINGDOM was a well-done movie that made you think, even as it beat you over the head with its themes. Starring Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner, the movie follows a group of FBI agents as they go to the Middle East to investigate a terrorist attack on an American living compound. Faced with legislative red tape, security concerns, and heightened Government relations, the team finds itself fighting an uphill battle. Special kudos to Jason Bateman for injecting some much needed humor into the proceedings. (I love this man! ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT forever!) Although the film can feel a little preachy, and it sometimes gets a little superhero-ish....meaning the bad guys can feel cartoonish, it still manages to have organic and moving moments. Jennifer Garner does a fine job as always, and Chris Cooper is a welcome player. I enjoyed the movie, and found that it did a pretty good job of being an exciting mystery/action-adventure, while also dealing with the contemporary issue of Middle East relations.

Final thoughts: A good action flick that addresses some real issues. It's not life changing, but it might make you think in between cheering for the FBI guys to figure it out.

MY KID COULD PAINT THAT

The documentary, MY KID COULD PAINT THAT is honestly one of the saddest movies I have ever seen. It is also incredibly interesting. Unbeknownst to me, in 2004, there was a four year-old kid in upstate New York in the middle of an arts world firestorm. Marla is a four year-old who makes contemporary art. A local gallery takes notice, sets up a show, and she is suddenly selling her work for $25,000. The media catches wind, and she is suddenly a celebrity, with her mother and father in tow. 60 MINUTES does a piece about her alleging that perhaps she is not actually doing the painting, but instead her father is. The movie follows Marla and her family through this process. So, is Marla doing her own artwork? Does she have help? How does having a "prodigy" affect other people in the family? It is a really fascinating look at the rise and fall of a young girl.

Final thoughts: Moving, sad, and really makes you question. Interesting movie.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

Needing a more quiet night, we took in TJABC, and it was just as good the second time around. I am happy to report that I have started reading EMMA.

Final thoughts: Lovely romantic comedy for a girl's night out.

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

doing colbert

Last Monday, after stumbling upon available tickets online, my friend Bonnie and I attended a taping of THE COLBERT REPORT. It was too much fun. Stephen Colbert is a riot. He is adorable, nice, and plays a d*ck on TV. Going to a taping of a show like this is always a blast. After getting in line around 3pm, I amused myself until Bonnie arrived around 4:45. At 5:15, after a lovely visit with one another, we went through security, piddled, and waited to go into the studio. We were #7 and #8 in line to get seated. After the VIPs were taken in, the lowly regular ticket holders were let in. We sat in the front row, and looked at the news desk that Colbert does most of the show at. First, he came out to do the toss with Jon Stewart. The two of them together are so hilarious. They chatted, then filmed the bit, and then Stephen Colbert went back to finish up working on "the word". Around 6:45 or so, he came out and they taped the show. Sadly, our perfect view, was also the perfect view for the camera.....one of them was set up right in front of us, and for about 25% of the filming, we had to watch the monitors. (Boo.) The guest was a Pulitzer-prize winning author, a bit dry, but funny to watch. At around 7:20, we all filed out, and it seemed but a dream. Truth be told, I am more of a Jon Stewart fan...but I had a great time at the show. If you get a chance to watch, check out THE COLBERT REPORT on Comedy Central.

breaking the fourth wall

A week ago Friday, months after buying my ticket, I went and took in Tony-Award winning best musical, SPRING AWAKENING from an onstage seat. I figured this would either be the greatest night of theatre I ever experienced, or it would lead to some sort of psychotic-fourth wall breakdown. Fortunately, my mental health is still going strong at 60%, and I had a fantastic night at the theatre. First of all, I am so glad that I saw the show from the audience first. Mostly because while on stage, you see so much going on, that you can't really be part of the story. There are too many things to take you out of it. For instance, actors preparing themselves....cracking up....talking about breathing through their cramps....I mean, you just can't get past that. However, it is very cool to see it all from the other side. The kids in this show are super-amazing. And, the band totally rocked, especially as I was sitting approximately four feet away from them. I actually had actors sitting on both sides of me, which was cool and weird. It was odd to have empty seats, then they would take the chairs, then we would all sit there. It was actually all kind of surreal. There were three understudies in that night, and as there are cast changes, it was cool to see different interpretations on characters and such. Gladly, the adult actors, as well as the three leads were all in. All in all, it was an amazing night on Broadway. Plus, the roommate and I totally hit Olive Garden before the show. You can't go wrong with the OG and great theatre.

Dorky confession: While sitting at my seat waiting for intermission to end, I sang a couple of measures out loud...but to myself, while staring at the back wall. I have totally had my Broadway debut.

photo credit: http://www.papermag.com/

many movies redux

Once again, I fail not only as a person, but also as a blogger. The truth is, things have been good lately. I have seen some great movies, some not-so-great movies, and as you saw above, done some fabulous NYC activities. So, here is a rundown on some of the things I have seen of late.

DARJEELING LIMITED
Loved this movie. Wes Anderson is such an interesting and quirky director. His vision in this film is so unique. The actors are terrific, in particular, Adrien Brody is just fascinating. He has the saddest eyes, and everything I see him in, I am just compelled to watch him. Both Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson are fabulous as well. The story is of three brothers who get together after a year, and try to build (re-build?) their relationship after the death of their father. At one point, Schwartzman wonders if the three of them would be friends, if they weren’t brothers. That question broke my heart. This film is everything…it is laugh-out-loud funny, tragic to the point of tears, ridiculous, and yet so real, it is as if you could taste the colors on the screen. This movie moved me, and I think if you like Wes Anderson, that kind of quirky, bizarre style, you will adore this film.

Final thoughts: A fantastic movie that is beautiful to look at, and moving to watch. Check it out.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
I so wanted to adore this movie. It is visionary, different, truly theatrical, musical, and Julie Taymor is such a distinct artist….I didn’t love it. However, I really appreciate what they set out to do. Using the music of the Beatles (love them!) as the foundation, this film explores America during Vietnam. With the draft, music, love, protest, the film explores life during a revolutionary time in our history. It was definitely a trippy exploration, and there were moments of true brilliance and perfection. However, I felt a little lost, and didn’t connect in the way that I had hoped. Jim Sturgess is really appealing as our transplanted leading man, and Evan Rachel Wood’s character makes a believable journey from school girl to activist. I hope that people will check this out with an open mind, and enjoy the craziness. It isn’t perfect, but I applaud Taymor’s vision and look forward to seeing more of her stuff.

Final thoughts: Incredible, HUGE vision that didn’t quite pull me in. Love the idea of it though.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
Sometimes, a movie is exactly what it needs to be. I set off to see this one, having read and enjoyed the book, and needing something nice to see. This movie so exactly fit the bill….I LOVE when that happens. A group of friends, and two strangers, make up a book club that tackles the work of Jane Austen. Each member takes a book, and hosts a get-together at their home. As the story progresses, the book club members find that their own lives are reflected in the books they are reading. Between divorces, affairs, relationships with parents and children, broken hearts, and new love, the books come alive in the cheesy way implied by that sentence. He he. It was the perfect movie to curl up with while wearing sweats and eating goobers. Emily Blunt is hilarious as the uptight newcomer, and Hugh Dancy is appropriately dreamy as the younger guy. (Sorry, it has been so long since I saw the movie that I can’t remember characters names!) I have now decided to actually read all of the books….

Final thoughts: Grab a girlfriend, and reignite your love of Jane Austen and romantic comedy-dramas.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL
Some funny moments….not enough though. Alan Tudyk steals the movie when he accidentally takes an LSD tablet and totally freaks out. At one point, he is naked on the roof. Seriously. Matthew MacFadyen does well as the straight man to the chaos surrounding him.

Final thoughts: If you are a fan of Frank Oz, or any of the actors, add it to your netflix list, and giggle away in your pajamas.

IRA & ABBY
I loved the movie KISSING JESSICA STEIN. This movie is also written by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, and this is just not quite as good as her first go-round. Abby works at a gym, and is neurotic. Ira is a Jewish graduate student, and is neurotic. They meet, have sex, and decide to get married in the space of the afternoon. There are great supporting players as parents and therapists, and it is nice to see NYC places I walk past or go to…but everyone is just so neurotic! I wanted to just hit them and scream BE NORMAL! Does my doing that make me neurotic?

Final thoughts: It’s not terrible, but it is not as good as it could be. Love the girl, and hope she does many more movies about slightly less neurotic people.

D-WARS
After IRA & ABBY, I decided to check out D-WARS which looked like it could be a fun sci-fi movie. Well, it turned out to be about giant snakes, and starring the cute guy from ROSWELL. I am SO not the target audience for this movie. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t good. I mean, perhaps if I was into dragons, or giant snakes, or prophecies, I would have loved this movie. As it was, I mostly sat there, and reconfirmed that I don’t like snakes. At all.

Final thoughts: Take your 14 year-old boy cousin to this film if you are somehow coerced into babysitting. You can probably pass this one up unless you like dragons, snakes, or prophecies.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com