The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chobsky (2012)

There's never been a shortage of coming of age films.  It's a genre all to itself.

But "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" sets itself apart, not just because it's one of the best ever made, but because of its sincerity.
 
 
Charlie is a freshman in high school who doesn't have a friend to his name until he meets Patrick and Sam, a pair of outsider seniors.

Charlie inevitably develops feelings for Sam, but it's more than a high school crush.  Their relationship develops slowly and it's treated delicately, with the respect it deserves.  The two of them open up to each other over the course of the film with trust and in good faith.
Charlie, Patrick and Sam are all damaged goods, and that's why they fit together so well.  Traditionally, in films like this, the focus is on how much kids like this need to be accepted.  What makes "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" so special is these characters aren't just ready to receive love, they're capable of giving it as well.

 
The film works so well because while it focuses on teen angst, it demonstrates, without any cynicism, how it's not just a source of pain, but a force that drives these kids.

Mostly, it shows how the people who love you can make you brave.  Admittedly, that sounds cheesy as hell, but when you're watching this film, it feels like a lovely sentiment.

But I think what I love most about "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is the way it truly understands broken people.  If someone is sad, they genuinely don't have the capacity to feel better.  And "Perks" accepts people like that on their face without trying to change them.

"2 Days in New York" - Julie Delpy (2012)

 Julie Delpy channels Woody Allen with "2 Days in New York and she does it quite well.
She also draws from filmmakers like Eric Rohmer.

But it would be misleading to say "2 Days in New York" is derivative.
The film is her follow up to her 2007 film, "2 Days in Paris."

The film follows Marion, played by Delpy and her boyfriend, Mingus, played by Chris Rock.

 

Rock gives an admirably understated performance as Mingus, who serves as Marion's confidant before becoming her lover.


Marion falls for Mingus shortly after her marriage disintegrates and, unlike her romance in "2 Days in Paris," we can actually see the attraction here.

Mingus is supportive and loving without the condescension we've seen from Marion's past lovers.

The story involves Marion's eccentric family who comes to visit from Paris and how they interact with Mingus, a decided pragmatist.
"2 Days in New York" is a character-driven comedy and the people we're asked to spend 90 minutes with are interesting and funny.

The film works on every level and although it's slight, is has more insight into relationships than most romantic comedies and it's easily one of the best films of the year.

"Ruby Sparks" - Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (2012)

The dissolution of the reality barrier has been explored before in films like "Stranger than Fiction" and Woody Allen's "Purple Rose of Cairo."

But never has the line between art and life been explored so thoroughly as it is in "Ruby Sparks."

Calvin is a writer suffering from writer's block until he finds himself romantically drawn to one of his characters.

When he finally returns to his typewriter, he does so with such fervor he brings his ideal woman to life.

Calvin acknowledges his love for Ruby even before she manifests herself.

Aside from being Calvin's dream girl, she's also sweet and vulnerable in her own right.

He has written her exactly to his liking, having her say things like "The first time I saw you, I said, 'Look at that boy.  I'm going to love him forever and ever.'"

Of course nothing good ever lasts and trouble starts when Ruby starts showing she has a will of her own.

 

Calvin can keep writing to change her for convenience's sake, but no matter how often he tweaks Ruby, she never fits his idea of perfect because how good can the product of a neurotic mind be?

At one point in the third act, we're horrified at the controlling monster Calvin has become.

The point of the film is that no abstract ideal can ever be a match for a real, autonomous human being.

Make no mistake, "Ruby Sparks" is not a romantic comedy.

 

It is, however, insightful, endearing, forgiving and easily one of the best films of 2012.

And as a side note, "Ruby Sparks" gets points for having the couple attend a screening of Peter Jackson's zombie film "Dead Alive" and including Plastic Bertrand's "C'est Plane Pour Moi" on the soundtrack.

Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson (2012)

"Moonrise Kingdom" is a love story between two tween misfits and it may well be Wes Anderson's masterpiece. 

The story starts with a boy named Sam's escape from camp. He's a scout nobody seems to like.
 

Sam meets up with his girlfriend, Suzy, whom he's gotten to know primarily through letters. She is fleeing parents whose idea of family communication is certifiably disjointed.
 

The entire community goes hunting for the young runaways and that's the story in a nutshell.
 

But as with all of Anderson's work, the plot is more or less incidental.
 

The quirky characters are the focus of the film.
 

Ed Norton plays a strict, loving and clueless scout leader who loses a camper.
 

Tilda Swinton plays a villain who swoops in, going only by the name "Social Services."
 

And Bill Murray and Frances McDormand stand out as Suzy's maddening parents whose communication problems most likely precipitated their daughter's exodus.
 

Anderson's point, of course, is that we're all odd ducks.

"Ruby Sparks" Featurette

Here's a behind the scenes look at the making of the upcoming film "Ruby Sparks."


I'm actually pretty excited about this film.

"To Rome With Love" - Woody Allen (2012) - A Video Review

Woody Allen is back on both sides of the camera in "To Rome With Love."

The film is a continuation on Allen’s tribute to Luis Bunuel he started with "Midnight in Paris." 

  

This an homage to the eccentric bunuel of "The Discreet Charm of the Burgeiosie," not the psychotic Bunuel of "Un Chien Andalou." 

Allen continues his obsession with sex, fame and death, or more specifically, infidelity, fame and death. 

"To Rome With Love" is comprised of four intercut vignettes. And they take some surreal turns, feeling a bit like Harry Block's short stories from "Deconstructing Harry." 

The most satisfying story line features Jesse Eisenberg and his infatuation with Ellen Page, his girlfriend's friend who comes to stay with them in Rome.  

Alec Baldwin plays the conscience of the love triangle. 

He follows Eisenberg and Ellen Page around like an intimidating Jiminey Cricket. 

The only difference here is Baldwin's role as a conscience is to advise in reason, not morality. 

If you've seen "Hard Candy" you won't be surprised to hear that page gives the film's best performance, but Baldwin’s comedic timing is welcome. Other stories involve characters played by the likes of Penelope Cruz, Roberto Benigni and Judy Davis. 

  

It's wonderful to see Davis in a Woody Allen film again, although she's featured in the weakest of the four stories.  

It's also nice to see Benigni back in his element. 

Fortunately, we're treated to the quirky Benigni from films like Jim Jarmusch's "Down By Law" and "Night on Earth" as opposed to the sad caricature he made of himself twelve years ago. 

"To Rome With Love" has gotten mediocre reviews so far and that feels about right. It's not Allen at his best or worst. 

If you're already a Woody Allen fan, you'll like this film just fine. If you're not, "To Rome With Love" isn't going to convert you.

"Ted" - Seth MacFarlane (2012) - A Video Review

This film is howlingly funny.

Don't miss it.

"My Week With Marilyn" - Simon Curtis (2011) - A Video Review

 

Here's my review of the gorgeous "My Week With Marilyn."

"Womb" - Benedek Fliegauf (2011)

"Womb" is brilliant and revolting.

I still don't know if I liked it or not.

But hey, anything with the 11th Doctor (or Eva Green, for that matter) is worth a look.

I believe I will wait a few months and watch it again.

Here's my review.

Also, I may have mispronounced Benedek Fliegauf's name.

If I did, apologies.

"Never Let Me Go" Video Review

It's Kind of a Funny Story - Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (2010)

Here’s the the movie review where I finally come out as a mentally ill American.

Yep, I'm on four different eveners and I'm still just as loony as can be.

And that’s why “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” just meant the world to me.

I have no idea if all the “norms” out there will find it just as wonderful as I did, but this film simply got it perfectly.And that was no easy task. If it had strayed just a hair to one side, it would have ventured into the side of melodrama.

Had it gone of the path in the other direction, the characters would have been characters and “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” would have been just another wacky comedy about a bunch of loonies.

But this porridge is just right.

And here’s why. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck understand, like very few filmmakers I’ve come across before, that people who are completely effed up beyond belief can have as great a capacity for strength, empathy and compassion as anyone else.

In fact, their dysfunctions usually make them better people for others to lean on.
That was Boden and Fleck’s theme in “Half-Nelson” and “Sugar,” two dramas that explored this notion darkly, and it’s what they’re trying to tell us here. Only this time, these filmmakers are showing us they can be warm as well as dark.

I’m not going to waste a whole lot of time going through the plot. You’ve seen the trailers by now.

For that matter, a lot of you have probably seen the film.

So, I’ll do just a quick rundown, because that’s how you do things in a proper review.

Craig is 16 and suicidal. He bypasses the bridge he was thinking of jumping from and instead goes to the hospital to get help.

He is admitted and put into the adult psychiatric ward because the teen ward is under renovations.He befriends Bobby, a guy who is hesitant to open up and tell Craig what his problems are, and is instantly attracted to Noël, another teen stuck in the adult wing.

And the rest of the movie is how they all relate and heal, and if I talked about the plot more, it would just sound mundane and it’s anything but so I’ll stop.
The plot really isn’t the point.

The film’s greatest strength is the way it refuses to condescend to its characters, even the ones on the peripheral who are the most troubled.

In the hands of someone else, these characters would have been thrown under the bus in the name of comedy. I shudder to think what Christopher Guest would have made out of this script.

The patients are used for laughs here, but never cheap laughs.

One of my favorite moments in this film is very muted and understated.

It doesn’t have a huge punch line or great catchphrase, so naturally it isn’t featured in any of the trailers and if you’re not mentally ill or have never been suicidal, it probably won’t stand out to you when you see “It’s Kind of a Funny Story.”



It happens when Craig is talking to Noël, she asks him about how he wants to kill himself, but didn’t actually end up trying.
He manages to stammer out a couple of sentences and explains himself terribly. Then he looks up at her and says, “Does that make any sense?”
And she says, “Yeah.”

That tiny moment, that short back and forth captures how those of us who are fundamentally just broken human beings understand each other so well and need each other so desperately.

Noël is a fascinating character precisely because we’re not told much about her.

We don’t know why she’s there will all the people who “need help.”



She has scars on her face and wrist and casually mentions cutting herself at one point, but apart from the fact that she loves music and seems to be exceptionally kind, she’s a mystery.

And Emma Roberts plays Noël flawlessly.

The rest of the film follows suit, with the greatest moments being the smallest ones.
Sure the funny moments you saw in the previews are entertaining, but the greatness of the film is revealed slowly in the quiet friendships that develop between these broken people.

And that’s another thing Boden and Fleck understand.

People who don’t suffer from mental illness mean well and they can help.

But this film is just achingly beautiful because it illustrates that those of us who are broken are drawn to each other.And that’s because we understand and we need the sympathy that can only come from someone who feels that illogical crazy things we do.
That’s the essence of our healing. Knowing we’re not alone.

Saying something that shouldn’t make sense to anybody at all and having someone who is just as lost as you are look at you and say, “I understand.”

And the ending of “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is perfect.

Craig rides away on his bike. And forget about one day at a time. Boden & Fleck know that there are a lot of us that have to take it one breath at a time.

Craig takes those deep breaths, the kind we have to take to stave off panic attacks and the movie ends.



And watching this movie, all us crazies, all of us broken people understood that other people know how this feels.

And would you look at that, some of them are making movies.

I have not cried in 26 years, but if I were emotionally capable of tears, I would have wept right there in my seat.




If you have issues, go see this movie.



If you love someone with issues, go see this movie.

It’s wonderful.


And here’s my video review.

Never Let Me Go - Mark Romanek (2010)

When life hands you a delightful surprise, sometimes you just say, "Thank you," and move on.



Like Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis," Katsuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go" might be an un-filmable novel, but hell if Romanek's adaptation isn't ambitious.

I'll just say it flat out. I adored this movie.

And my hopes were not high.

I worship this novel and I have to say, "One Hour Photo" was just an awful film.

I mean just terrible. It was a caricature of a psychological thriller.

I really thought Romanek was just a moron. Seriously.And "Never Let Me Go" is easily one of the greatest novels of the past decade.

So I braced myself for disappointment.

But oh my God, what a wonderful film.

It is so elegant.

I know that sounds pretentious, but I can't think of a better word.

Now if we could just get David Cronenberg to go ahead make his version of "The Metamorphosis," the universe will be whole.

Here's my video review.

Valentine's Day - Garry Marshall (2010)

Garry Marshall’s “Valentine’s Day” begs the question, “Can a film critic write a review of a movie he couldn’t even make it six minutes through?” Well, this will be a short review.

In the opening sequences, we are treated to horrible acting, contrived emotions and dialogue that somehow manages to be stilted and sappy at the same time. I have a relatively high pain threshold, but I couldn’t even make it through the opening credits.
This is six minutes of my life I want back. Garry Marshall, I’ll take the six minutes any way you’d like to give it. You can come to my house and vacuum. I’m sure you can get the living room and at least one bedroom taken care of in six minutes. Or you can show up at work and give me a six-minute shoulder massage.

However you want to pay it back is fine, but Garry Marshall, you owe me six minutes.