Due to this, in lieu of writing my normal "rambling reviews" I'm going to give you a short rundown of all of the films I've seen lately, and a quick mention of a few I am REALLY excited to see.
Without further ado...
It's Kind of a Funny Story (available on DVD and Blu-ray)
I actually watched this back in March, and I thought it was a really quirky, fun little indie film. The previews had set it up to be sort of an oddball comedy starring the king oddball himself, Zack Galifianakis. It ended up being more of a dramedy, with the story focusing on a young kid (played by Keir Gilchrist) who checks himself into a mental hospital after feeling suicidal. This film could have gone the way of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" or "Girl, Interrupted" (both great films) but instead it managed to stay airy and light with a good message (and not too treacly either).
Gilchrist was pretty great here, as was Emma Roberts (yes, Julia's niece) as the love interest, and of course Galifianakis was hilarious, even his dramatic moments were surprisingly decent.
Maybe it was just that this movie came around for me at the right time, but I found it really life-affirming. I'd definitely recommend it. Oh and don't even bother renting it unless you watch the outtakes - they are hilarious.
Rabbit Hole (available on DVD and Blu-ray)
Seeing as this film had some Oscar nominations (both for acting and overall) I was really looking forward to seeing it, and it too did not disappoint. The film follows the lives of a mid-life couple who are coming to terms with the death of their young son after he is hit by a car.
Director John Cameron Mitchell is known for his unique storytelling (his other two films are "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus" - both very unique) and this is no exception. He manages to do a fantastic job of being creative in his filmmaking, but without making it look like a pretentious-film-school-lesson àla the Coen Brothers (sorry but I have a pretty intense hatred for their films).
The whole film is basically about a few months in the life of these two people, struggling to continue living through their pain and not let it break them apart. Both Aaron Eckhart and Nicole Kidman are spectacular in their roles. They manage to balance the intense sadness of this plot, while not making the whole film come across as yet another melodramatic tale about death and grieving. Miles Teller as the teenager who accidentally killed their son is pitch-perfect here too, as well as Sandra Oh. If you watch Grey's Anatomy you already know that this woman can act the hell out of anything, and she is really and perfectly understated in this film.
Overall highly recommended, but only on a night when you can handle being a bit sad.
I Love You Philip Morris (Available on DVD)
I had heard a few good things about this film, but it really flew under the radar during its original release in 2009. Naturally I wanted to see it due to the plot alone: a true story about a gay con man (played by Jim Carrey) who falls in love with a fellow inmate (Ewan McGregor) after being sent to prison on fraud charges.
I am one of the (probably) few who thinks Jim Carrey is almost better in dramatic roles..."Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is one of my favourite films of all-time. Here he gets to be equally goofy and dramatic, and I think he generally did a good job. Ewan McGregor was also really impressive as Philip Morris, the sweet southern gay man that Carrey's character Steven Russell falls madly in love with.
While the film is generally entertaining, it's never really funny or that emotional even when it tries to be. It is based on an almost unbelievable true story and there is a really nice twist at the end that you will NOT see coming, but overall I wasn't a huge fan. I would suggest this if you're up for something really different (or if you'd like to see Jim Carrey naked and screwing guys a lot).
Bridesmaids (still in theatres)
Ahh and then this post's pièce de resistance: Bridesmaids! There's not much I can say about this movie that hasn't already been said 100 times over by movie reviewers, colleagues, friends...pretty much everyone (and really if you haven't seen this yet, where have you been hiding?). What I can say though is that this is easily the FUNNIEST film I've seen in years.
No, it's not funny to me because it's a female comedy. This film is funny because it's laugh out loud hilarious and seriously smart, and stars one of (if not the) funniest people on the planet, Kristen Wiig. Wiig plays Annie, a 30-something single woman who is seriously down on her luck, and just when she thinks it can't get any worse, it does: her best friend announces that she's getting married. What ensues is a series of hilarious circumstances surrounding the wedding planning, and scenes SO funny that I actually could not control the guffaws coming out of my mouth.
Two particular scenes that stood out for me were when they go bridesmaid dress shopping and everyone becomes suddenly ill, and when Annie gets seriously intoxicated on the plane on the way to a bachelorette weekend. I dare you to watch these scenes and not die laughing.
Pretty much all of the performances are great here too...everyone is trying really hard to bring the laughs and they all succeed. Both Jon Hamm and Irishman Chris O'Dowd are great as the main male characters (the latter is equal parts adorable and witty).
What I love the most about this movie (other than the fact that now everyone knows the unbelievable Kristen Wiig) is that it has hopefully proven to the film studio executives that a smart, hilarious comedy starring mostly women can be a huge success. Maybe we'll see some actual GOOD comedies come out of the momentum this films has had, but we can only hope. I, for one would rather watch more films like this than another comic book adaptation or teenage gross out comedy.
Well, those are all the reviews for today...but I'll hopefully be back soon for a couple of doosies: Terence Malick's "Tree of Life" and "Super 8" J.J. Abram's ode to chilhood and filmmaking.
Hope you're all staying cool in this wonderful summer heat. Have you seen any great flicks in this early summer movie season? Anything I should check out? Leave a comment and let me know.
