I'm Reed Fish (2006)

"And with that, my friends... have a marvelous day in the Meadows."

                - Reed Fish

I’m Reed Fish is a quiet little movie as charming as the town in which it takes place. I guess it would fall under the category of romantic comedy, but don’t let the negative connotation cause hesitation; you’ll enjoy it.

Reed Fish works at the radio station of a town named Mud Meadows (seriously, I know, but stay with me) so small that everyone listens to Reed for news and they call in for him to help settle small disputes.   Despite how antiquated this may sound, it rings so true that you really buy into this small town life and Reed’s unique place within it. Soon to be married to his long time girlfriend, Reed’s world is rocked when his old crush returns to the home town. As you can probably surmise Reed messes up and has to win back the girl he plans to marry. This is where I have to urge you again to not relegate this to just another romantic comedy with the same banal plot. You have seen this story before, I concede that, but the resolution is one that is so unique and surprising (albeit a bit confusing) that you’ll be won over.

I should mention at this point that Reed’s girlfriend is played by Alexis Bledel (who does a fine job), but the surprise performance is that of Jay Baruchel as the titular character. You probably don’t know Baruchel by name and you only might know him from his small part in Knocked Up or his lead roles in She’s Out of My League and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

If you still don’t know who he is that’s exactly why he’s such a pleasant surprise as Reed Fish.

See it. Trust me. 

Good Dick (2008)

"That was an incredibly odd exchange."

                                                         - Simon

Marianna Palka's Good Dick is a fascinating romantic drama with a take that on the genre that you probably haven’t seen before (or at least done this well).

A woman who goes to her local video store daily to rent soft core porn becomes the object of affection for the video clerk. It’s a simple situational setup that masks the layers beneath. The woman is cold and distant and seemingly not interested in a relationship, of any kind, despite the constant attempts by the video clerk. In fact she treats him pretty shitty. Not until the end of the film when we meet her father do we really understand her. She’s been sexually abused by him, the first man in her life, and that shapes how she interacts with other men. The clerk too isn’t without issues to be addressed. He’s battled drug addiction which may explain his addictive personality and why he won’t give up on her despite the vitriolic insults and humiliation she dishes.

It’s been said that hurt people hurt people, and that concept is exemplified well in this film. She treats him like shit because that’s what she knows. She maintains control of their relationship because she knows how awful it feels to be the one being controlled (It now becomes interesting that her erotic interests lie in soft core porn: porn without penetration as the clerk tells her). Many times throughout the film she dominates him (even simulating rape) to humiliation, and it’s painfully clear that she’s been through hell.

Through it all we are left with a hopeful ending. A confrontation with her father and reconciliation with her video clerk are small steps in her progression. In the end we’re left with two damaged people moving forward together. Hopeful, indeed.

(Be careful Googling this one - the title may lead you to the dark side of the web!)

The History Boys (2006)

“They’re clever…but they're crass”

                                                 - Headmaster Felix

2006’s The History Boys is a film adaptation of the popular play of the same name. The original director, writer, and cast are all on hand making its transition as seamless as possible, if not, as some critics say, even better. It’s a story so thoughtful and bursting with content that there are no throw away lines; everything is purposed.

In 1983 Sheffield, England 8 boys are nearing graduation and after receiving the school’s highest marks are aiming at getting accepted into Oxford or Cambridge. They’re a book smart group and confident too (able to quote you well under the table). Diffidence isn’t a problem for them, but what they have in confidence they lack in refinement and the creative thinking that becomes their real education. Enter Irwin - new teacher hired to give them a polish. “You get a question, you know the answer. But then, so does everybody else. So, say something different, say the opposite…A question is about what you know, it's not about what you don't know,” he urges them.  

A varied group, the youngest of the boys is (possibly) homosexual and in love with Dakin, the most charismatic of his classmates. I mention this in particular because subplots of homosexuality run throughout the film. While Dakin dismisses his young classmate’s affection Dakin himself is drawn to Irwin. All of this parallels another subplot of Hector, a long standing teaching exposed of having fondled several of the boys who both acknowledge and just as easily dismiss the action as no big deal. The fondling is thought of as “more appreciative than investigatory” (as it’s described at one point of the story). The casual way all of this is explored is…different and unexpected and because of that it’s really engaging.

You’ll want to watch with subtitles on, though not because the accents are too tough, but because you won’t want to miss a word. Nearly every line is so carefully constructed and witty you’ll wish it were a novel so that I could savor them better. The History Boys is such a well crafted film exploring self-reflection, education, and knowledge. I hope that you find connection to it (and to good story telling in general), because as Hector says, “The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you'd thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it's as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.” 

Do the Right Thing (1989)

"Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand..." 

                                                                  - Radio Raheem

Do the Right Thing is a classic. What could I possibly add to it that hasn’t been said already, right? Well I’ll say this: this is a movie that makes you feel something. There’s no way you can watch this and not need to talk about it with someone afterwards. And that is truly the mark of a quality cinematic experience (hell, any story telling experience really). Whether you think Mookie did the right thing in the end, whether you think Sal is the villain, or even if you think Buggin' Out was the true cause of Radio Raheem’s unfortunate death you can’t walk away from this film without an opinion.

Most summaries of this Spike Lee joint (yeah, I said joint) state something along the lines of how on the hottest summer day in Brooklyn racial tensions come to a boil. While most one liners understate a story’s nuance for the sake of brevity, trying to boil Do the Right Thing down to a one liner is underselling the major accomplishment that Lee achieved. The landscape of the black neighborhood is captured so perfectly on screen it’s uncanny. I mean who didn’t grow up with a Mayor or Mother Superior looking over them? Many people of course, but you get my point. Lee’s Brooklyn is reminiscent of many black neighborhoods in Philly, Baltimore, DC, hell any East Coast city. What’s more is that he accomplished this again 5 years later with Crooklyn.

It’s funny. It you haven’t read about Spike Lee’s opinion of Tyler Perry’s films/plays/television shows you can see their differences exemplified in their work. For many black folks, I think you either grew up with a Madea in your life or a Mother Superior (maybe that's a regional difference - Lee's east coast to Perry's down south), and that probably colors where you fall on the Lee/Perry debate. Two sides of the same coin? Two equally valid versions of the black experience? Maybe. But one thing is unequivocally true: Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet the Browns are terrible, terrible television shows.

Paper Heart (2009)

“Is it because you’re not loveable?” 

                                                  - Demetri

Paper Heart is a movie that you’ll probably love or not care for at all, and I suspect it has a lot to do with the lead, Charlyne Yi. You’ll either find her awkwardness and nervous laughter cute and sweet or you’ll find it annoying and distracting. I think that how you feel about her will determine how you feel about the movie. Almost as if acknowledging this, the very first scene is Charlyne on the streets of Vegas asking passersby if they’ve ever been in love. She’s largely ignored until she’s not. “Is love a good thing?” she asks before breaking into laughter. This gambit serves as a brief litmus test to introduce Charlyne to audiences. The brief scene won me over.

Charlyne is looking for love. With that simple goal she sets out across the country talking to people of all walks of life about what they think about love. As you can guess we meet a wide array of folks, from playground kids to bikers to scientists. Along the way she meets Michael Cera (Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs the World). If there were ever two more awkward leads on film, I’ve yet to see it. Again, you’ll either love the chemistry between them or not care at all.

“I’ve never been in love so I don’t know if I’m capable of it,” Charlyne says early in the film. She does this quite often: saying something, that coming from anyone else would be sad and depressing, but not allowing us to overly pity her (even when she has a bit of an emotional breakdown). Maybe it’s the tone of her voice or her inquisitive expressions where I swear you can see her thinking. Or maybe she’s just really good at masking emotions (aren’t we all?) but we stick with her and reach a satisfying ending together.

It’s dope.

After Sex (2007)

"Well that's the difference between love and sex. Sex is the game where everyone wins a little price, and no one goes home loser. And love is the game that's really hard to win. But if you do, and you take home that life size dinosaur, it feels so much better than taking home a shitty little plastic keychain." 
                                                                - Leslie

10 minute shorts that pick up immediately after sex. Straight sex, gay sex, lesbian sex, virgin sex, dirty hotel sex, interracial old people Viagra assisted swinger sex: it’s all there. It’s a pretty solid concept for a movie and it leads to great conversation pieces.  Sex complicates things. Sex leads to more questions: questions about the differences between men and women, gendered identity, labels (“I’m not gay now, am I?” one guy asks after his first homosexual encounter).

Like many collections in the themed anthology format the total package is uneven (See The Ten). Some are really layered and interesting while others are completely facile. And as usual they save the best for last (Taryn Manning’s is easily the best short of the bunch). Most of the stories are more like short plays. Plot is advanced chiefly through dialogue so you can expect lots of talking heads, and the setting is limited – usually kept to one room though not always.

There’s also a great cast here: Dave Franco, Jane Seymour, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, and John Witherspoon (with his obligatory “bang, bang, bang”) to name a few.

Am I recommending After Sex? Well, it won’t make you laugh (for the most part), but then it’s not really a comedy. Calling it a drama is a bit of a stretch too. It’s a series of (sometimes) interesting conversations about sex and all that comes with that. If that interests you then you’ll probably like it. I did. 

Toy Story 3 (2010)

"Now, you gotta promise to take good care of these guys. They mean a lot to me."
                            - Andy

As if this needs much set up…Toy Story 3 is a massively successful children’s movie and you should see it. You will enjoy it and you will tear up if not weep like a child. I’m not afraid to admit it: this was the first movie to bring tears to my eyes since With Honors (I’m sure I’ll get to that one at some point in this blog).

Toy Stoy 3 is familiar in that the same theme (unconditional friendship) established in the first two movies carries on. Even while Andy, the boy young man who owns the lovable cast of toys, grows and is on the brink of the next stage of life, this theme remains. Interesting how this concept is explored throughout several movies and never goes stale. But of course that speaks to unconditional friendship; it never ends, does it? It changes and evolves and somehow remains the constant and familiar. Throughout the movie the toys are separated and reunited a number of times as they try to make their way back to Andy, all while urging each other to “just hang on!!!” and reminding each other that “we have to stick together!!!” Two keys scenes remained with me. While facing certain death in a garbage incinerator the toys begin grabbing each other’s hands. No words are said but their faces and the simple gesture of holding hands is incredibly powerful. They may die, but they’ll die hanging on to one another. A second scene comes at the end of the movie. Andy is passing his toys on to a new child and he spends time talking about how special each toy is to him. Each toy, not just Woody and Buzz, get a moment to shine and it’s touching.

There’s something about toys. We cling to them so tight as children. They’re given to us to stop our crying, they infuse us with an esoteric sense of bravery in tough times. You could hand me toy from my childhood and it would instantly open the flood gates of memories. It’s a unique quality and Toy Story 3 taps into it.

Well done.

* Read the script online! : http://www.waltdisneystudiosawards.com/toystory3/script-toystory.pdf

Traitor (2008)

"Once upon a time it was the Americans who were terrorists to the British. They're forgetting their history already." 
                                                                 - Omar

2008’s Traitor is a great movie betrayed by its generic title and bland trailer. It’s a movie filled with nuance and faith and a really good performance by Don Cheadle.

Cheadle plays Samir, a devout Muslim who may be an extremist taking on the West or an inside man working in deep cover for the US. With a story such as this where allegiances are not quite what they seem it’s easy for a storyline to become overly complex (Inception – one too many dreams within dreams), but Traitor navigates itself into just enough layers of deception without losing the viewers. In this sense it will remind you more of a movie like The Departed.

What works so well in a layered movie like this is Cheadle’s performance. Certain events unfold throughout the story that will set of a chain of thoughts in the minds of the audience. “Oh shit, they killed dude, and he knew about that other guy, and now that he’s dead…oh shit!” These moments of internal revelation are expressed so perfectly by Cheadle it’s really exciting. Slight facial gestures like a turn of his eye or a brief twitch of the lips all work so well he might as well be looking at the audience and saying, “Did you just see that shit?” but he never utters a word; it's all through subtle expression.

It’s a shame that Traitor didn’t make more of a splash. But it’s also nice to see that while this sort of movie could have starred a bigger name like a Will Smith or Jamie Foxx, a constantly reliable actor like Don Cheadle was able to shine. (Also I’d be remiss if I did mention how great Saïd Taghmaoui is as Omar. Saïd shines in just about every movie he’s in and he does not disappoint here).

Cashback (2006)

"She caught the wrong second of a two-second story." 
                                                                                - Ben

Sean Ellis’ full length 2006 movie is based on his 2004 Academy Award nominated short of the same title. The movie has a gentle tone punctuated with a wonderful sense humor and surrealism.

Cashback is the story of an art student named Ben. Ben’s been dumped by his girlfriend Suzy and is dealt a killer hand of insomnia. With a new found abundance of free time, he takes a 3rd shift position at a local supermarket. As he says it, he gives them his extra time and they give him cash back.

Along the way we meet a colorful cast of eccentric characters and a new love interest in the form of a co-worker. It’s not a terribly original series of events, but that isn’t the point is it. The journey, as told and experienced by Ben is the real purpose of the story. And in that sense it’s a success. Consider Ben’s ability to freeze time. While earning his cash back, Ben routinely freezes time, undresses women, and draws them before redressing them and unfreezing time. This habit of Ben’s has drawn understandable critiques that the movie dwells too much in gratuitous nudity (there are many a-breast shown throughout). But Ben is an art student. The female form as he describes it is a thing of beauty, something to behold in wonder. How much mileage that goes with viewers I’m sure will vary. But I believe that more important than the nudity is Ben’s ability; it’s an endearing tool that Ellis uses creatively. We are never truly sure if Ben is in fact actually freezing time or if we are just seeing the world as he does: a world at a slow enough pace to stop and take time to sketch.  

See Cashback. It's dope.

It's my blog...but you can read it.

I watch a lot of movies. Lately I haven’t had much time to indulge like I used to, but I’ve seen a great deal of movies and I’ve got things to say about them. For whatever that’s worth. In this blog I’ll comment and write on various movies but I hesitate to say that I’ll review them. Although I’m sure some entries will look and feel like reviews in the sense that I’ll offer a brief synopsis, I’m handpicking certain movies to discuss and ignoring others all together. While I may be current with some films I’m sure I’ll dwell in cinema of years past too, if not more often.

Finally, I aim to keep each entry brief. I know how long I give any posting online to hold my attention and it’s not long. If I haven’t kept your attention after a few lines then I didn’t do enough, so I’m aiming to keep each posting under 300 words. Brevity is the soul of wit, right? Although as Zadie Smith notes we should be careful not to quote the hot air of Polonius and claim it to be the wisdom of Shakespeare.

Ok, ready? Go!