Thursday, May 31, 2012

"There's no TV and no Internet..." "Are there forks? I might need to stab myself in the face..." (Film Review - Your Sister's Sister)


            “I can’t believe you slept with my sister! You only met her last night! …And she’s a lesbian!”
            This exclamation, shouted by Iris (Emily Blunt) during the climax of the movie, doesn’t do justice the peculiarity of the ridiculous love triangle at the center of this film.
            Written and directed by Lynn Shelton, Your Sister’s Sister is a complex, modern twist on an old story. It’s an intriguing spin but is poorly executed and had me rolling my eyes at this comedy more than laughing.            
            Iris is secretly in love with her best friend Jack (Mark Duplass). Not so strange. We’ve all been there, am I right? However, instead of following this revelation with typical conflicts (he has a girlfriend, he doesn’t feel the same way, he’s dying), Shelton decides to take you some place different.
            I appreciate this. I’m all for innovation. But where we end up is just not where I wanted to be.
            The movie opens at a wake. Jack’s brother has just died and he is, understandably, not handling it well. Iris suggests he go to her family’s cabin for a while to get away as she thinks isolation will help him with his grieving process. After some less than believable reluctance, he agrees to go.
            When he arrives, to his surprise, he finds that the cabin is not vacant as Iris’ sister Hannah is staying there to get over a recent breakup with her long-term girlfriend.
            Against all odds, Jack and Hannah get drunk and have sex that night. I don’t really foresee a problem. Meaningless sex between a man and a lesbian seems like something they should just be able to forget.
            However, in the next scene, we learn Iris has managed to get off work and is on the way to visit. So much for that whole, “you need to grieve by yourself, Jack” idea.
            She arrives and is surprised and ignorantly ecstatic that her sister and best friend finally get the chance to meet. Meanwhile, Jack is freaking out, begging Hannah not to tell Iris about their night.
            At this point, it seems the writer is making a dramatic movie about nothing. I can’t imagine Iris would care that much about her lesbian sister sleeping with her best friend.
            This is before I knew what Shelton had in store for me.
            True to Murphy’s Law, we discover Iris is in love with Jack… but that’s not all. Within 10 minutes we also find out that Hannah so wants a child, she sabotaged the condom they used that night in the hopes that she would get pregnant.
            Now, I cannot say we’ve all been there.
            At this moment the plot just seems ridiculous. Character development is lacking so it’s hard for me to believe real people have these problems.
            We learn a little about Iris’ and Hannah’s childhood, but Shelton really only spends enough time on it to explain away the fact that Iris, played by Blunt, has a British accent while her sister doesn’t.  Thanks for that. I was wondering…
            Now resolution is difficult. Hannah is obviously crazy and in the wrong for tricking a man into impregnating her. Iris should probably just go off with Jack and live happily ever after. But wait, Hannah is family so we can’t really have Iris choose sides like that. Perhaps she should just let Jack go as her friend because now it’s just so strange. But she’s in love with him. Right.
            Not to worry, Shelton has a plan that combines the two.
            Iris confesses her love to Jack and he reciprocates. Hannah says something to the effect of, “sorry I did that whole crazy impregnation thing. I’m just really sad about my breakup and I really want a kid. Also, I did not know you were in love with him so you can’t really blame me for wanting his sperm.”
            Iris and Jack accept this apology. They apparently decide to wait to see if Hannah is indeed pregnant and if so, they’ll all just take care of it together!
            They then embrace in an awkward three-person hug in which Iris and Jack are kissing while they all lay hands on Hannah’s stomach. It’s weird to say the least.
            This extreme plot line along with only mediocre acting had me ready for the film to end.  Apparently the director and I were on the same page because what followed was an ending so abrupt it belongs in the category of films like Drag Me to Hell and The Devil Inside.  
            We still don’t know if Hannah is actually pregnant so in the last scene she is taking a home pregnancy test and just as we are about to see the result, the film cuts off.
            Don’t get me wrong, ambiguous endings can be appreciated. Cliffhangers in movies like Inception serve a purpose. Christopher Nolan cuts to credits before the top does or does not fall to show its irrelevance. Cobb is happy to be home with his children and is no longer concerned with whether it’s real or not.
            Shelton’s cut, however, just seems like a copout because she was either too lazy or too scared to make a decision.
            While Blunt’s charm is probably the best things about the film, it’s unfortunately not enough to carry the entire movie on it’s own.

  




Every time I come back here, I just want to leave again...


            La Playa DC is a dramatic film that captures the struggle of an afro-Colombian teenager as he moves out of his mother’s house into the city of Bogotá.
            Tomas (Luis Carlos Guevera) needs a way to make enough money so he and his brother may leave Bogotá. However, he realizes getting out may be harder than he thought as he discovers the city is full of exclusive gangs and racist citizens.
            The natural cast and brilliant acting make up for a slightly lacking screenplay and allow you to believe their story and be sympathetic to their harsh reality.  

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

I feel like I've been in a tornado for the past two weeks...

And now it's spit me about and I'm realizing this trip is almost over... 


So I meant to blog more regularly during the festival but it was so time consuming I didn't have the chance. Yes, WAS because the festival is sadly over. Sunday was the last day. And although I've never been more tired in my life, I'm heartbroken. I'm fairly certain I will never  have the opportunity to do what I just did ever again. Even if I come back, which I fully intend on, I'm certain I won't have 12 free days to solely watch movies. I just don't think that's real life...


Anyway, let me try to recap these last few days.


I got to see The Paperboy with Zac Efron. I thought it was amazing. It definitely belongs on the list of movies that I've genuinely enjoyed here. A lot of my fellow programmers do not agree... I judged them and moved right along. Just kidding... sort of.


It was directed by Lee Daniels (director of Precious) who I got to meet which was cool. I agree that I wasn't crazy about some of the techniques he used but the story was very intriguing and the acting was good. I don't need much more in a film.


This premiere was especially significant to me because what I thought were a series of unfortunate events resulted in me sitting but a nice lady who's trying to make a shift from lawyer to movie producer. We talked about life and goals and she mentioned she had a friend who writes reviews for an online publication. We traded contact information and she said she'd be happy to put me in touch with him... Who knows what will come of it but I was so happy I met her.


Other than that, the last few days of the festival kind of run together... so many movies.


But, our professors set up some more talks for us the last few days which I got more out of than I expected.


We had the opportunity to meet with Philip Kaufman, Jeff Nichols and Michael Phillips. The former two are directors. Philip Kaufman had a movie at the festival titled Hemingway and Gellhorn. I saw it before I went to Cannes. It was pretty interesting but a little long for my attention span.


Jeff Nichols is the hero I never knew I had. I want to be him when I grow up. I wish I could have videotaped his talk with us. This kid is 32 years old and has written and directed three films, all of which were well-received at various prestigious film festivals. His third film, Mud, premiered at Cannes the second to last day of the festival. I absolutely loved it. I'm not going to lie, I might be bias because I got to meet him and he is the prime example of good guys can finish on top. Still, I think anyone could agree the movie was very well done.


Jeff Nichols... in the collared shirt.
Star from a columbian film I saw. He was so cute. Oh and the movie was good.
The roomie and me!




George Lucas


R. Patts and the cast of Cosmopolis. The movie was so bad. Oi vey...




We also got to meet Michael Phillips. He is the movie critic for the Chicago Tribune. If you know anything about my ambitions, you know I was freaking out. I was frantically writing down everything he said about writing good reviews. I learned a lot and he was a very nice guy as well.


My teacher said it best when he said it takes a different type of person to be willing to speak with students when there's so many other things they can be doing. I was so thankful these people agreed to speak with us about their lives, journeys and accomplishments.


The last day of the festival was the worst weather we've had here... and the weather has not been that good. That meant no closing ceremony because I found it hard to beg for tickets in a dress and heels when it was pouring rain, thundering and lightening. Amour won the big prize, though. I saw it and see how it won although it wasn't my favorite.


Things have slowed down since the festival has been over. I go to class at 9am everyday and we get out around 1:30 with a half-hour break in the middle.


I was originally inspired to apply for this study abroad because of the critical writing class I knew I was going to take. I knew I wanted to be a film critic. I wasn't even sure what the other class was, nor was I concerned.


However, the more I sit in the other class, the more I enjoy it. I find I'm increasingly excited to attend that class more than the critical writing. The class is about the business side of film. It focuses on the publicity and advertising aspects. I never thought I would be interested in this as much as I am... I continue to learn things about myself here and I love it.


Only about seven days left now. I know it'll be bittersweet when the time comes to leave. I'll never have an opportunity like this again but I really miss my family. I missed Kyle's birthday and Kris' graduation so I'll be happy to see them whenever I return and we can celebrate in the flesh. Miss my padres too! And all of my friend girls... Oi.


Still, I'm going to try to get everything out of this last week. Here goes...


As always, I'll try to keep y'all posted.


More reviews to come...


From Cannes, with love


KD

"I heard you can never count on a woman loving you..."


            Mud is not an epic. It’s not a film about a major war, star-crossed lovers or the end of the world as we know it. It doesn’t have a star-studded cast, nor is it directed by someone of Steven Spielberg’s status. It’s one of the simplest movies I have ever seen, yet one of the best.
            Jeff Nichols wrote and directed Mud, a story about the birth of an unlikely camaraderie between two young boys and a fugitive on the run.
            Nichols is a young director whose résumé consists of only three films (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud). The first two were well received at film festivals and by viewers. If my opinion is any type of consensus among audiences, Nichols will be three for three with his latest film, Mud. 
            Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) play two best friends. The film starts with them on a boat in the river. They reach land and are looking for something. Their relationship is effortless and you can tell they’ve been friends for a long time. They come across a boat in a tree and you know this is what they have been looking for, a place to call their own where they can escape. The elation is short lived when Ellis sees evidence that someone is already living in the boat. The head back to their boat but see footsteps along the way. When they get to their boat, they see an unkempt man. He tells them the boat in the tree is his boat but he’ll be out of their way soon enough and if they could bring him food in the mean time, he’d much appreciate it.
            Neckbone is unconvinced but Ellis sees something in the man that he cannot abandon. He takes food back to him later that night. The man is thankful and introduces himself as Mud. The bonding begins.
            The casting director deserves some type award for finding the Sheridan and Lofland to play the roles of the best friends. Although the name of the film is Mud, they play a slightly larger role. I respect Nichols for not relying on the celebrity of McConaughey or Witherspoon. He really allows the children a chance to shine in the film and they rise to the occasion to beautifully. Their performances are well beyond what I would expect from child actors.
            Ellis goes into town with his mother when there is a roadblock. They stop and the patrol asks them if they’ve seen this man and shows them a picture of Mud. The boy denies seeing him and when he gets home he retrieves Neckbone and they proceed to warn Mud people are looking for him.
            Mud is not surprised to hear this. He says a lot of people are looking for him but still appreciates their concern. He regrets to tell them he needs the boat to get out. He’s really only there to find his girl, his love Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). They, of course, ask him why people are looking for him. He declines to tell them at first but then admits Juniper got in with a bad guy a while ago and he continuously beat up on her. The last time Mud got fed up and killed the man.
            This is when I realized what an amazing screenplay the film comes from. Throughout the film, there has been a theme of love and what it means to love someone. Ellis is young. He is experiencing his first taste of love through a crush on an older girl. His parents have also just informed him they’re getting a divorce.
            When we hear Mud say he’s doing all of this for a girl, we already know Ellis is going to be moved to assist. Mud mentions he could use some help gathering supplies needed to get the boat running.
            A couple well-used montages later, the boys have gathered most of the things Mud asked for.
            Filmed in Arkansas, Nichols takes advantage of the beautiful scenery which makes for an aesthetically pleasing film. You can tell Nichols is a native of the state, as his directing techniques show he knows how to truly capture its splendor.
            This is how it should be. I love being able to see something about a director/writer in their work and Nichols’ work is very telling.
            At a plot twist, Ellis realizes Mud has been lying about something crucial and we question Mud’s motives and being. However, he immediately proves himself when Ellis is in a precarious situation and Mud risks everything he’s been working toward the entire movie to save him.
            Ellis survives this accident and Mud makes it out of the city with an old friend, alive and undercover in the boat. The boys are alive and well and are although they will probably never meet Mud again, they are all better for knowing each other.
            This is the simplicity I enjoy. This film is just a small part of the characters’ lives. Mud obviously had a long history before and has an adventurous future; the boys have their whole lives ahead of them. We get to watch this one moment in each of their lives when these characters paths cross and we get to see a beautiful story.
            I’ve never understood people that have problems with happy endings, anyway.

Everest Entertainment and FilmNation Entertainment presents a film written and directed by Jeff Nichols, produced by Sarah Greene. Running time: 135 minutes. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Laflane.


"I didn't know how to wait on you..."



Directed by David Lambert, Beyond the Walls shows the importance of timing in the context of love, and the devastating consequences that can occur if you miss your chance.
            Paulo (Matila Malliarakis) and Ilir (Guillaume Gouix) are two lovers seemingly on their way to happily ever after when an incident veers them off course. Paulo and Ilir appear to have found each other at the perfect time in each of their lives but when Ilir leaves for a short trip, he’s arrested for drug possession. What should have been a brief vacation becomes a yearlong waiting game for the both of them. Paulo struggles as he finds that maturing might mean leaving Ilir in his past.
            As director and writer, Lambert’s debut film is a success. Although the film is about homosexual lovers, Lambert doesn’t focus on the social acceptance aspect found in a lot of films about gay couples. There is a touch of awkwardness between the characters that creates a realness rarely captured in on-screen love stories. An intriguing plot and cohesive score tie together with this authenticity to produce a film that will have you invested until the very end.


Frakas Productions, Boreal Films and Les Productions Balthazar present a film written and directed by David Lambert, produced by Jean-Yves Roubin and Daniel Morin. Running time: 96 minutes. Starring Matila Malliarakis, Guillaume Gouix, Melissa Desormeaux Poulin and David Salles.


Thursday, May 24, 2012

"She's perfect, more than perfect. Somehow, she's more than human..."


“Antiviral” This intelligent, satirical film comments on celebrity culture and the growing obsessions people have with them. Syd March lives in a world where people so desire to be connected to superstars, they’ve taken to acquiring diseases identical to their favorite celebrity. Syd acquires the mysterious disease that killed superstar Hannah Geist and must now uncover the secrets so he may save his own life. A smart idea, but no introduction to this bizarre world in the film will leave you playing catch-up while the plot takes off without you. Directed by Brandon Cronenberg, starring Caleb Landry Jones.

"The bones in a hand never fully heal. You may just wake up one day and feel the pain."


Rust and Bone. 
Watching Rust and Bone is like being on an amazing drive. You know the feeling. It’s everything you need; the weather is perfect, the sights are pretty and your mind is at ease simply because of these surroundings. Then, something pulls you out of your trance and you realize you’re running out of gas and you aren’t really going anywhere.

Ali (Matthais Scheonaerts) has somehow become a single father of a five-year old boy. We first see him with his son, Sam, on his shoulders attempting to hitch a ride somewhere. He has no success and ends up on the train. At this point, Sam voices that he is hungry and Ali proceeds to search the train for scraps and leftovers they can combine into a meal.

I began to feel like I was watching a French version of The Pursuit of Happyness. The film in which Will Smith is playing a single father who is doing everything he can to support his son on no income.

However, I soon realized that these characters have little in common. Of a lot single fathers in film, Ali is among the worst. He’s emotionally blocked off, temperamental and irresponsible. You feel really sympathetic toward Sam, worse than you already felt because apparently he has an absentee mother.

Ali and Sam make it to their destination: Ali’s sister’s house. She’s everything Ali is not when it comes to a parent figure for Sam. She is concerned; she arranges to put Sam in school and find him clothes. Ali, his sister Anna, her husband and Sam are to live in this house together as a family. 

Ali does find a job as bouncer at a club where he meets a woman named Stephanie (Marion Cotillard) for the first time after she is hit in the face. He drives her home where he meets her boyfriend. The encounter is nothing more and doesn’t seem special, but Stephanie apparently likes the way Ali shuts her boyfriend up. Still the relationship probably would have turned to nothing if not for the next scene.

We are at Stephanie’s work. She is a trainer for orcas as one of the people who give signals to the whales so they do tricks for an audience. Well, something goes horribly wrong and somehow a whale crashes through the platform the trainers are on and takes Anna out. She wakes up in the hospital with her legs amputated.

Meanwhile, Ali has found another security job. This one seems respectable. The screenwriter does a good job of keeping your feelings about Ali obscure. You feel like things are starting to go right for Ali and Sam but too many late pick ups from daycare and sex with random women make you reconsider very quickly.


Stephanie is in a sort of depression and somehow concludes calling Ali will help, which it does. Still, I don’t know how believable it is that a woman in her position would call a near stranger she met at a bar a couple of months ago.

Nonetheless, their bond begins to form. He forces her out of her house for the first time and they go to the beach. This becomes a ritual of theirs. They both begin to open up. He says he used to box and is going to participate in a street fight that weekend and win some money.

She tags along; he wins. The excitement on his face triggers her own as she likes to see him that happy. We see they are developing a deeper relationship. I like it and I almost begin to wish for them to acknowledge it and proceed further.

He goes home to his son who for some reason or another is having a tantrum. Ali is on the phone trying to set up another fight and becomes so frustrated with Sam, he picks him up, shakes him and slams his head against a table amidst a lot of yelling and swearing.

And just like that, I’m back to hating him. I understand we are in the age of the antihero but Ali falls too short for me to sympathize with his character. I want him to leave the film and never come back. This is not how you should feel about a protagonist.

This is when I notice that no resolution has or is coming. The story is interesting, the acting is amazing, but we’re 1½ hours in and the plot just seems to be going no where. At this point, I don’t even know what resolution I should be hoping for.

The story continues progressively. Ali continues to screw things up at home or with Stephanie until he does something so bad at home he just leaves. Doesn’t take Sam or say goodbye to Stephanie, he’s just gone.

The end proves to be more dramatic than the rest of the movie as something happens so devastating it pulls Ali out of his irresponsible ways once and for all.

I want to be happy but at this point, I’m just tired. I realize this film is really just a depressing film, creatively so, but still just depressing. It has typical movie plots you’ve seen before, just presented differently.

Losing your limb to a whale instead of a car accident still presents the same result. You cannot make a compelling move just off of really depressing plot points strung together.

I began to feel as I if was just going in circles while the director was trying to figure out where he wanted to take me.


Why Not Productions and Page 114 present a film written and directed by Jacques Audiard. Produced by Jacques Audiard, Martine Cassinelli and Pascal Caucheteux. Running time: 120 minutes. Starring Matthais Scheonaerts, Marion Cotillard and Armand Verdure.


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

"A good movie sinks in your bones, and you carry it with you forever."

Day 7 of the festival. Exhaustion has reached new levels.


At this point, I'm about 20 films in... I say about because some of the movies here are shockingly bad. Sitting in a bad movie seems sinful at a festival with 1000+ films so I generally leave the these films somewhere in the middle and try to find a film I'll enjoy more. I've learned it's really hard to predict.


I can name the ones I've enjoyed on one hand. And I mean truly enjoyed... not enjoyed because the production was so bad I laughed the entire time.


1. Beast of the Southern Wild
2. Moonrise Kingdom
3. No
4. Lawless
5. Detachment
6. Killing Them Softly


...okay, I guess my hand has six fingers. whatever.


There were others I could appreciate even though I didn't necessarily enjoy them and then some I just could not get down with at. all.


So I left you guys hoping I would get into the Lawless premiere. Well, I did. Yay! And even though I didn't get to speak to Shia Labeouf or Tom Hardy, the movie was still pretty good. Kinda of your typical bang, bang, shoot 'em up but very well acted. Tom Hardy was amazing... he had this southern accent and all I kept thinking was "He's british! How is he doing this?!"




Diddy... Random, I know.




Tom Hardy!
Jessica Chastain


Shia Labeouf!


(Diddy was also randomly there... The screen pics are shots of the red carpet live.)


That was two nights ago. Today, we got to meet with the head of production from Participant Media and an Australian director (who was both hilarious and very opinionated); both gave excellent insight and advice aout the industry. And check out the view from our rooftop "classroom." Is this real life???









After our meetings, I changed to go beg for tickets to Killing Them Softly, a movie starring Brad Pitt. My charm wasn't working so well today so I wasn't offered a ticket but one girl on the trip with me was c l e a n i n g up and got like 5 and gave me one! So thanks to her, I got to go.


It was pretty good as well but explicitly violent. I'd say it's more a guy's movie if you asked me.


The best part is that I got my ticket so late that they had closed the red carpet off for real celebrities by the time I got there. So I was waiting beside the red carpet when Brad (we're on a first name basis) walked up!! And just like that, I became a groupie.


Never thought I would freak out over a celebrity but let me tell you... that's exactly what happened. I figure it's Brad Pitt so it's excusable. Plus, he was so sweet and came over to wave at all the fans even though most celebs on the red carpet never do that.


Look how close!! 




The cast of Killing Them Softly




They eventually let the rest of the people waiting walk through and I followed Brad in. So basically, I went to the movies with Brad Pitt. Does that blow your mind? That just happened. (Talladega Nights? Anyone? No? Okay, moving along.)


Anyway, being in school for the last 21 years has really conditioned my body to expect weekends off or for some type of break in anything longer than five days. Reason #437 Cannes Film Festival is taking all of my energy. I'm out of my league. Still, no complaining. I'm just having to pull energy from unprecedented places to make it through these movies, premieres and panels. Like 4 espressos in one day kind of thing.


No begging for me tomorrow. Robert Pattinson will be here because Kristin Stewart's movie is premiering. I think I'm going to skip though (my aunt would be so disappointed). My next premiere will hopefully be The Paperboy with Zac Efron directed by Lee Daniels. Wish me luck!


As always, I'll keep you posted here!


More reviews to come as well...


From Cannes, with love


KD



Sunday, May 20, 2012

How are you to imagine anything, if the images are always provided for you?


Detachment

Initially, this seemed like your typical film about an optimistic teacher who goes to work at an inner city school with the hopes of saving all the students by giving them someone who genuinely cares about them. You’ve seen this film, right? Within the first day, the teacher’s optimism crashes as he/she realizes that it won’t be that easy. But by the end, they do manage to touch at least one person and change their lives for the better.

Well, Detachment is not completely unlike those films, but it does have a sense of reality and rawness the others lack.

Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is a substitute teacher that has seen it all before. We understand what kind of teacher he is in within the first scene when he kicks a student out of class for calling another student a vulgar name. When another student calls him a name, he proceeds as if it did not happen saying he doesn’t have feelings. He’s a savior for all but himself.

In this moment, we realize the quote in the beginning credits not only inspired the title of the film but also describes our protagonist.

“And never have I felt so deeply at one and the same time so detached from myself and so present in the world.” –Albert Camus

Barthes sees the world around him for what it is and realizes he is living in this place far from perfection but knows he can only do so much to change it.

Barthes is supporting his grandfather in an assistant living facility, as he is getting more and more delusional. Their relationship was strong at one point, as Barthes seems to be the only one who can calm his grandfather when his condition spikes. 

Two young girls in this film, Erika and Merideth bring out a strong theme. The film as whole, but especially these two characters, stress the negatives that occur when people who are responsible for children do not fulfill their obligation. Children need to know they are loved, believed in and cherished.

Barthes says, “There should be a…pre-requisite, a curriculum for being a parent before people, attempt, “don’t try this at home.”

Erica (Sami Gayle) is a young girl selling herself for a living. We meet her not too far into the film when we are still developing our feelings about Barthes. He invites her into his home and, although we want to think he won’t, we wonder how far he will go with her. However, he only offers her food, insists she get tested for STDs and offers to let her stay the night.

Their relationship quickly grows into genuine companionship as they become each other’s confidants.

Merideth (Betty Kaye) is a student in Barthes’ class. She is the constant regret of her father who wanted a boy for a child, and that is only where the disappointment starts. She is a dark artist and her parents cannot understand. Barthes attempts to help her through her struggles, but in the end it is too much for her to handle and she commits suicide.

Barthes says, “Some of us, believed that we can make a difference, and then sometimes, we wake up and we realized, we failed.” It becomes even more evident that you can only do so much in the world.

However this film has optimistic overtones. Although Barthes loses Merideth, he manages to get Erica off the street and into a foster facility. In the end, he goes to visit a much happier her.

Detachment has an interesting narrative style that has nondiegetic confessional-like interviews interspersed throughout the film.  This style was well used as it allowed us insight into Barthes’ character, feelings and actions.

Most characters were well developed which allowed us to invest in them, for better or worse. The story was more believable. Although, I do wonder if there are any teenagers that really speak that vulgarly. Apart form the dramatic writing, this film was well done in a way other films in this genre aren’t.

Unlike Freedom Writers, The Ron Clark Story and other similar plots, Detachment doesn’t create a false sense of perfect resolution. The world still exists as it did when these films are over, and the one person who managed to overcome adversaries is still just one person.

Detachment does a nice job of showing this, while creating a heavy, but not depressing film.

Paperstreet Films, Appian Way and Kingsgate Films present a film directed by Tony Kaye. Screenplay by Carl Lund. Produced by Greg Shaprio and Carl Lund. Running time: 97 minutes. Starring Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks and Marcia Gay Harden.


Does it concern you that your daughter has run away from home? That's a loaded question.


“Moonrise Kingdom” This heartwarming film tells the story of two young children as they experience love for the first time and what it means to never give it up. Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman) run away together and, in result, spark a local search by their family and friends. Moonrise Kingdom reminds us of everything we love about Wes Anderson and our own first encounters with love. Also starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Tilda Swinton.

Friday, May 18, 2012

We're Just Getting Started...

Oh My Jesus. I'm in France... I feel like I've been gone forever but really it was not even one week ago that I got on a plane at Hartsfield-Jackson. This week has been crazy to say the least. I planned to blog everyday or at least every other... yeah, I don't know what I thought the time availability on this trip would be but I was clearly wrong. BUT, I still plan to do better, even if it kills me... (which it might. It's currently 2:30 am here and I want to go to a screening early tomo in Cannes.) Anyways, my misconception of free time is pretty much my only fault because other than that this trip is everything I coud have hoped for and I'm less than one week in.


I'll try to describe it here, in detail, without writing a novel... here goes.


So last Friday morning after partying it up with all my beautiful friends for their graduation (CONGRATS!!) I came home, made the always necessary pre-trip Walmart run, threw stuff in a suitcase and got in the car with my brother and his friends who took me to the airport. I proceeded to yell at him the entire time about being late and taking too long which turned out not to be an issue because I got to the airport with plenty of time. (LOVE YOU KYLIE!) So much, in fact, that I had enough time to unpack and rearrange everything in my overweight suitcase to get the weight down so I wouldn't be charged. (This ended with me handing the airport employee a credit card for the extra charge, shrugging while my friend looked at me like I was crazy.(Still, preciate you!)


Anyways, I was nervous finding my gate and what not because I rarely travel and never by myself but when I managed to get there I saw lots students from UGA all going on the study abroad with me and most of my concerns were eased. My roommate for the trip was also there. She's hilarious and I love her... let's hope that doesn't change in a month.


The actual traveling was long, tiring and pretty uneventful. Flew from Atlanta to London, London to Nice and then Nice to Juan Les Pins by taxi. (Lots of turbulence on the way to London, which was fun. *heavy sarcasm*)


On the way to our residence, everything was fine. Sights were pretty, the weather was nice, all of that... We got to our hotel and waited on our fellow programmers. Once everyone was here we drank, we bonded, we talked about how amazing this trip would be... Our residence is basic at best but whatever, we're in France.









With the next two days came the reminder that study abroad means class credit which means classes... which means that I have to go to class. Oi. But soon after that realization came the reminder that the classes are both based on film, the industry, reviews and critiques; all of which I have no problem learning about.


We went into Cannes on the second day to learn how to ride the train two stops up to get to the festival and how to walk there from the station. Seeing everything set up was a sight in itself but it doesn't compare to what it looked like the next day when the festival actually started.


Absolute chaos. It's amazing to think most of the people there have the same interest as me. Amazing, intimidating and inspiring all at the same time.


The first day I saw only two movies... Detachment and Moonrise Kingdom. (Reviews to come for both, but I will quickly say they were both very good.)


Moonrise Kingdom, directed by Wes Anderson, was the big opening film for the entire festival and was screening in the Lumiere Theater. I have an awesome badge that let's me get into most theaters, however, you have to have a ticket to get into the Lumiere and you get a ticket by asking. This is a less humiliating way of saying that I wrote on a pice of paper "Invitation, Moonrise Kingdom, S'il Vous Plait" and tried to get producers to give me their extra tickets. It's a bit shameful... until you get a ticket, then it's totally worth it because you get to walk the red carpet and sit in the Lumiere with celebrities and, of course, watch an amazing film.












Unfortunately, I was in all of the wrong places that night and did not get to see any celebrities. However, some of my friends got to meet Wes Anderson, Eva Longoria, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Jessica Chastain and others, most of whom were in Moonrise Kingdom. Still, I got to go to the premiere so I was satisfied. I will meet some celebrities before the festival is over though. Not to worry.


I haven't been to a premiere since Moonrise but I am attempting to get into Lawless tomorrow and hopefully meet Shia Labouf!


I'm also on the lookout for Donald Glover if anyone hears that he's in Cannes, let me knoooow!


Celebrity encounters aside, I really am just so thankful to be here. Everyday when I wake up, I'm reminded of what an amazing opportunity this is. I'm so thankful I have amazing parents that have allowed me to experience this. Love you guys!!


I'll keep everyone posted here as my adventure continues. Movie reviews will be interspersed.


From Cannes, With Love


KD

Friday, May 4, 2012

The Social Network-- Film Review


David Fincher’s The Social Network brilliantly tells the scandalous story of the founding of Facebook. I walked into the movie not knowing what to expect, so to say it dramatically exceeded my expectations is fairly useless. Let me try to put it in perspective: If I had anticipated this movie would do an impeccable job at combining all of the aspects of filmmaking, I still would have underestimated the film entirely.
Fincher, whose directing résumé also consists of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Fight Club, takes the audience through the amazing story of the launching of the website that changed the world. We experience this journey by following Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, giftedly portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg, as he develops the idea for Facebook and subsequently fights two lawsuits brought by plaintiffs claiming they deserve some compensation for the ideas and money they contributed to the site. The Social Network, based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, allows viewers an inside look at the beginning of an era. Through an award winning performance by Eisenberg, the audience gets a real sense of the type of person Zuckerberg is.
Every movie starts with a screenplay, and while a bad screenplay can be saved by good actors and better direction, a well-written screenplay in addition to the latter two allows a movie to excel into a category of excellence few movies can achieve. Case in point? The Social Network.
Aaron Sorkin, also the screenwriter of A Few Good Men and Charlie Wilson’s War, is responsible for the amazing screenplay that became The Social Network. Sorkin craftily takes Mezrich’s novel and transforms it into a witty, fast-paced dialogue. The film is funny and heart wrenching at the same time. Sorkin writes in a way that allows you to empathize with the main characters despite their conflicting goals in the movie. The filmmakers do an excellent job at staying neutral in this polarized story, allowing the audience to make up their minds about the founding of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg and the both trial processes. Much of the dialogue in The Social Network is unexpectedly humorous and chances are you won’t even comprehend all of the jokes and sarcasm during your first viewing.
You may not think The Social Network belongs on your must-watch list but I’m strongly suggesting you reconsider. The real story in itself is fascinating enough. However, when you add that it’s a true story about Facebook, a website that has defined an entire generation, you can imagine the potential. With the amazing screenplay Sorkin created and the superior acting done by the main characters, the movie’s potential more than livedis lived up to and then some. While a movie about the creation of Facebook may, at first glance, seem to be associated with pop culture (and yes, that is Justin Timberlake in the previews playing Sean Parker), the story, screenplay, and acting in this movie make it so much more and definitely worth your time.