Recently at the movies

Many gems out there right now.

1. Paranormal Activity

I really, really hate that title. And I really, really liked this movie. You know the film was worth your money when afterward you spend as much time as the length of it discussing it with your friends. Not only did the movie provide genuine scares, it laughed in the face of horror clichés while doing it. (The thing-appears-in-mirror’s-reflection and the why-doesn’t-anyone-believe-us are particularly well-not-served.) I’ve read a few reviews of people who didn’t like the film, complaining about the shaky cam, small cast, confined set, etc. I’m not sure what extravagance they’re expecting from an $11,000 movie, and the confined set is half the point, buuuuuuut….whatever. The one criticism I truly throw my hands up to is that not enough happens in the film. To people who think this I say: if you don’t like movies where the anticipation is a crucial part of the enjoyment, then I and Dr. Frank-N-Furter would like to tell you to please stop trying to be a horror fan and just go watch the WWE or something.

2. Whip It

What a shame that this movie tanked at the box office! Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat, Juliette Lewis, Marcia Gay Harden, Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig: I would have been joyful to see this cast just having fun in a bad movie. But this is not at all a bad movie. It’s full of small moments that are both offbeat and genuine, it tells a satisfying sports story in a fresh arena, it tells a satisfying coming-of-age story while remembering that the most important thing about coming of age is not necessarily getting yourself a boyfriend, as so many teen movies would have you think. Even the standard movie tropes such as the overbearing mom and the secret-football-watching dad feel dusted off and spruced up. It’s cute and fun! And those are good things.

3. Bright Star

Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. I mean, it’s Jane Campion, so you knew it would be visually lovely. But that word sticks in my head to describe everything else as well: the dialogue, the performances, the quick little cuts, the faces. The unanimous opinion of those I saw it with: this is a movie to buy and watch again and again. The best romance I have seen in ages, and so much more than a romance. A portrait of two pure people, and hopefully the springboard for even greater things for Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw.

4. Where the Wild Things Are

Yep, I saw it! Wham! Preview fundraiser! Cinerama! Max Records and Dave Eggers were there! It was good! And that’s all I’ll say about it for now, since I’m not sure if I’m “allowed” to blog pre-release.

And even having seen one movie that isn’t even out yet, I’m so far behind…A Serious Man? Zombieland? The Informant? I need more time!

Funny schlubby white guys

Ok, just had to get that out of my system with the title. And there is at least one female comedian and one minority comedian in Funny People. They each have like two scenes, it’s amazing. Okay, I’m done. Okay, probably not.

Funny People, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up before it, asks a serious question in the way that many comedies do not. We see now the pattern of Judd Apatow’s films, and no it’s not just “chick flicks for stoner dudes.” His films all center around a main character who has been, if not content with, at least accepting of, the stagnant path of their life. Then something happens to push them off that path. Friends figure out you’re a virgin and decide to help you grow up; you get a girl pregnant; you find out that you’re sick and probably dying. We’re moving on to bigger and bigger problems, and I like that. We can always use more comedies that are real movies, that are about something.

I love it when watching Adam Sandler is enjoyable. It’s very enjoyable here. As George Simmons, the comedian and movie star who has an 8% chance of beating a rare blood disorder, Sandler constantly works on two levels. Inner George and Outer George, for lack of more eloquent terms. We can see the persona he puts forth, a lot of which is real, honest to god misanthropy, just masked as the curmudgeonly sarcasm of a certain type of comic. We can also see the regret underneath all that.

It takes a little longer for Ira Wright (Seth Rogen), George’s new assistant, to catch up with the audience about how much pain George is going through. Even then, Ira doesn’t really want to put up with George’s shit, and we can’t really blame him. As an aspiring comedian, Ira idolizes George and wants to be like him. He’s also perplexed by him, and unable to modify his own behavior to what George claims to need. This is a complex relationship, one I was genuinely interested in, and I was genuinely not sure how it would turn out. It’s just good writing, and acting.

We’re also treated to a whole lot of those trademark uproarious one-liners. It adds a new level to that Apatow-Gang humor to have the characters themselves be in a position to talk about whether or not what they just said was funny. Maybe there are a diproportionate number of films made in Hollywood that have to do with Hollywood things, but I won’t complain as long as they use that conceit to be this clever. It should also come as no surprise that the supporting cast is a joy: Leslie Mann, Jason Schwartzman, and Aubrey Plaza in particular for me. We should also watch out for Maude Apatow: she’s got the family talent.

The movie is too long. That is my main complaint. 140 minutes is too long for a comedy, even one like this that is almost a drama. But, it must be hard to cut scenes from your own movie when everyone in it is your friend or relation. In particular the “domestic” sequence at the end of the film, with Leslie Mann as the showcase, drags noticeably. But what’s a guy to do, cut all his wife’s scenes? I have a solution, Judd: write a movie where she gets to be the star. Ah, there I go again.

See Funny People, laugh and think.

I have seen HP6…

…and I could make the case that it is the best of the adaptations so far, following the storyline and tone of the book with ease and avoiding some of the serious pacing issues that marred movie number five.

Some other thoughts:

*How lucky are the writers/directors/producers that their crop of cute 10-year-olds has turned into such a bunch of attractive young stars, and all decent actors at that?
*Ginny Weasley is badass. Also, corn fields are always scary.
*Somebody needs to tell the wardrobe people to dial down the Johnny Cash factor in Tom Felton’s look.
*Jim Broadbent is brilliant as Professor Slughorn. His interpretation of the character even worked better for me than the book version. More sympathetic, more real.
*Nobody pauses like Alan Rickman.
*I’m thrilled that Steve Kloves and David Yates let the movie focus so much on the kids’ budding romances. They did a great job of condensing those bits to movie-time while still giving all the satisfaction the book does.
*Awesome opening sequence.
*Awesome Tom Riddle flashbacks.
*Could have used more of the other students. More Luna, Neville, Seamus, etc. This is a constant complaint with every movie.
*In fact, to me, Neville’s storyline is the saddest thing cut from the books for the movies. Movie-Harry could use a dose of the self-examination book-Harry gets when he relates his own situation to Neville’s. Also, seeing Neville’s parents adds incredible dimension and in-your-faceness to the history, rather than just the immediacy, of the Death Eaters’ wrath. We can only talk about Lily Potter’s sacrifice so much; the books do a much better job of remembering that Harry wasn’t the only one affected by Voldemort’s first reign.
*I hope they are saving the serious battle action and I will get my fix in the next film…I was waiting for the epic showdown that never came.
*Lavender Brown is the funniest psychopath ever.

Many thanks to Patty Liu for her inside information on getting us passes to see the movie early! I am already ready to see it again.

I’ve got it!

As some of you know (because you were there), I saw Drag Me to Hell last night. I liked it quite a bit, but my super-Sam-Raimi-excitement just wasn’t entirely fulfilled. Now, I concede that I built it up quite a bit in my head before seeing it, but I still thought so much of it lived up to the hype: the crazed atmosphere, some legitimately funny parts, several bits that had me covering my eyes, and an incredible final scene. Unfortunately, something about Alison Lohman’s performance kept me from really loving it. Afterwards I complained about her, but couldn’t quite put my finger on what bugged me so much. Today, I figured it out.

They should have cast Jess Weixler, of the delightful, twisted horror gem Teeth. That’s what I wanted, that almost-over-the-top, willing-to-go-for-the-crazy-eyes, no-holds-barred kind of performance. Lohman was pretty good, but not that good.

Still, see the movie. It’s freaking fun. I anticipate its arrival on DVD in time for Halloween and expect we could make up a great drinking game to go along with its viewing.

Unrelated: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien starts tonight!!! I will be staying up past my bedtime to watch.

Things I’m thinking about that aren’t really long enough for a post of their own

I finally saw Milk, and it really is pretty fantastic. Except, wow, Emile Hirsch bugs the crap out of me. Anyone else confused about why this guy is supposedly going to be the great actor of his generation? I feel like he’s overacting all the time. Granted, I haven’t seen Into the Wild, due to my well-documented annoyance at the overabundance of projects about angsty straight white guys who can’t deal with “society” (don’t even get me started on Fight Club), but I’m hard-pressed to believe that Hirsch is the next big thing. Josh Brolin, on the other hand…only a matter of time before he gets his Oscar.

But, speaking of next-big-things, based on Sally Hawkins’s performance in Happy-Go-Lucky, which I also watched this week, she’s got that title in the bag. What a tough role to nail, and how perfect she is. Very good film, and I think Hawkins needs to be sent a few of the scripts with challenging female roles that Kate & Cate are hogging.

And while we’re on the subject of great actresses, what the frick does Mary McDonnell have to do to get an Emmy nomination for her role as Laura Roslin on Battlestar?? Every word she uttered in the final season, up to her last scene (I’m spoiler-free, I know some of you kids haven’t caught up….but seriously do, it was such a fantastic ending….I laughed, I cried….I’m barely keeping myself convinced that it wouldn’t be a good use of time to start rewatching the series from the beginning right now) was nothing short of phenomenal. She and Edward James Olmos together are extraordinary. Really, the whole cast pulled out all the stops for those final hours. What a truly brilliant group of actors, on a truly brilliant show.

Another show flirting with real brilliance: Big Love. I’ve been a huge fan since episode one, but the last two episodes of season three took things to a new level. The intricate, dramatic plotting combined with the continual character development makes for a deeply satisfying experience. I implore you to get the DVDs.

And now I’m wondering, what should I start watching on DVD? Lately I’ve been wanting that satisfying feeling of zipping through a new series, like I had when jumping on the Battlestar boat halfway through, or devouring The Wire in only a couple of months. Thoughts? Maybe The Shield? Anyone have any other recommendations?