Jeff Who Lives At Home: A Review This was not the movie I expected. I’ve seen a few Duplass brothers films (my favorite is Cyrus), and everything Jason Segel’s done with the exception of like two movies, and of course love Ed Helms in just about everything he’s done. The combination sounded promising, even though I knew little about the premise outside the title. I guess I was just expecting another funny slacker comedy, or a mumblecore Step Brothers. This is neither. And that’s good. I love when a film surprises me, and this one totally did. I mean, I expected to enjoy it, but I didn’t expect it to be such a transportive, magical experience.  The movie opens with a quote about signs and destiny and everything happening for a reason. All ideas that sound familiar, but also vaguely pot-induced. The quote is credited to “Jeff,” and he appears on the screen, speaking into a tape recorder very earnestly about how he’s been watching Signs over and over. Now, I love that movie too, but I will confess that his earnestness and almost urgency about it made me laugh out loud. Still, this little monologue sets the tone for the movie and the day it documents. Jeff (Segel) is thirty years old and, as the title indicates, resides in his Mom’s basement. He does smoke a lot of weed, and he lounges around in a baggy sweatshirt and gym shorts and we get the impression personal hygiene may not be his number one priority. So naturally, there’s some built in humor; but the movie is gentle rather than mocking in its portrayal of Jeff. He gets a phone call that sounds like a wrong number—an angry sounding guy looking for “Kevin.” Jeff decides this is a sign, though he’s not sure what it means. We also meet Pat (Ed Helms) and his wife Linda (Judy Greer). They share a small apartment, but they don’t seem to share a lot else in common. Pat’s made a special breakfast to announce a surprise: He just bought a Porsche! Linda does not take this news quite as Pat had hoped. Mom is played by Susan Sarandon, who wishes her kids would start acting like grown ups for a change. She’s stuck in a cubicle and not particularly happy with how her life turned out. She’s in for a change of pace today, though. I don’t know how much more to say about the plot—I almost feel like you should go in knowing as little as possible. But I will say that it’s got some magical qualities. Everything in the movie *could* happen, but if you’re in search of stark realism, you won’t find it here. This is a story about ordinary people longing to be extraordinary, and for one day, they get a chance to make that happen. This might sound simple or overly whimsical or cliche; but the way it all comes together really feels organic and touching. I especially loved Jason Segel’s performance, and how committed he is to the idea that these small events and coincidences signal a deeper meaning. There’s something universal about the idea that we all want our lives to matter, to mean something. Even if we’re all about free will and shaping our own destiny, aren’t there times when we wish we knew who we were supposed to be? Wouldn’t it be easier if the universe gave us a sign, if there were a way to know for sure it’s not just chaos and our suffering or boredom or pot-fueled musings were actually part of a bigger plan? In some ways, probably because I’m an eternal fangirl, this theme reminded me of Lost. That show explored destiny vs. free will a lot, and also played up the interconnected nature of humanity. It’s tough to accomplish all of that in the span of the movie’s 83 minute run time, but I admire the effort. It’s hard to categorize this movie. Is it a comedy? Well, I laughed, but I don’t know if I’d say it belongs in the same genre as 40-Year-Old Virgin or Ace Ventura or This Is Spinal Tap. Is it a drama? There are some tense and touching moments, but it doesn’t really fit the tropes of that genre either. I guess if I had to call it something, I’d say it’s a feel good movie—you can’t watch it and not feel good. It’s in theaters now in somewhat limited release. See it while you can! Support a good movie and enjoy yourself for 83 minutes. Total win-win!
Take a look, it’s in a book, Reading Rainbow! Or, Rose reviews some books. My reading for 2012 has been pretty varied so far: Short story collections, memoir, graphic novels, YA fiction, classic literature, European crime novels. I like variety, what can I say? Here are some of my favorites of the ones I’ve absorbed. Maybe you’ll find a new treasure from this assortment, or maybe you beat me to it and have already read all of them. Either way, here are my thoughts on books I’ve read recently. Julia Wertz wrote and illustrated this autobiographical graphic novel (that’s a mouthful!) about her move from San Francisco to NYC in her early twenties. In a classic quarter life crisis, a family member with an addiction and the end of a romantic entanglement lead Julia to a life-changing decision: Life would be better with a change of scenery. With no job or real plan, she moves across the country and is soon confronted with the harsh reality that a new city just means a whole new set of challenges. Terrible landlords, jobs that are a bad fit, lots of alcohol, and a growing sense that maybe Julia’s problems have something to do with her approach to life. She’s got a self-deprecating style and a dark sense of humor, so even though the book finds her at some pretty low points sometimes, it’s still really entertaining. I mean, before this book she was the author of an ongoing series called Fart Party… so you know she doesn’t take herself too seriously. I found this book charming and delightful, and I would highly recommend it. Happily, even if you don’t find this book in your local library or comic book store, she posts many great comic vignettes on her website. Plus you can order the book directly from her there, and I’m always in favor of supporting artists I love. It’s to my own detriment that I’d never heard of Jussi Adler-Olsen til I picked up this book; although, to be fair, he’s probably better known in Europe (especially his native Denmark) than the US. He’s been writing for most of my life, but this was my introduction to his work. I’ll freely confess that my interest in Stiegg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy sent me on the hunt for more Nordic crime fiction,  and thanks to Goodreads and NoveList I came across this title. While it doesn’t bear a lot of resemblance to Larsson’s bestsellers, it satisfies the “solving brutal crimes” criteria. While Lisbeth Salander has yet to find a literary equivalent, Adler-Olsen populates his book with plenty of memorable characters and a taut pace that draws out the suspense til we can barely take it anymore. There are two main characters in this book, and it takes time before we see how their stories intersect. Carl Morck is a homicide detective with undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a prickly relationship with his colleagues. He’s great at what he does but he can be a bit of a curmudgeon, to put it mildly. His newly hired assistant is a super enthusiastic Syrian immigrant named Assad, who comes across as a less condescending version of Sherlock Holmes as the novel unfolds. The relationship between Assad and Carl provides a great deal of humor, Odd Couple style. It’s nice to have some cheerful moments, because the other main character in the story definitely has nothing to smile about. Her name is Merete Lynggaard, and she is being held captive for reasons beyond her understanding by people she can’t identify. The mystery of her disappearance is at the center of this book, and while we may think we can piece it together from clues in the narrative, there’s a lot more going on than one might imagine. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys suspenseful crime writing and memorable characters. At the beginning, the pace seemed a little slow, but really it just sets the stage for the bigger set pieces of the plot. I look forward to reading more by Jussi Adler-Olsen, and hope the rest of his books are just as fascinating as this one. For me, Roger Ebert is a hero. I frequently disagree with his movie-related opinions, but I love reading them. I also love his blog, which gives way to beautifully written long form essays on many topics unrelated to film. I’m thrilled to have met him, even fleetingly, and while I know he can’t live forever, I dread his departure from the world. Even without a physical voice, he’s managed to crystallize his thoughts and opinions in such a distinct, memorable way. He’s made me think about things differently and his appreciation for the art of movie making frames even his negative reviews. I admire him and aspire to be the kind of writer and person he is. Thus, I had high expectations for Ebert’s memoir. I knew it would be interesting and thoughtful, but I had no idea it would be so detailed and hilarious. He recalls incidents from his early childhood through his travels in college, his early romances and his middle age alcoholism, his encounters with many of Hollywood’s icons and his appreciation for fellow writers at the Sun-Times. To read his accounts of a scene is to be transported back in time and experience it firsthand. He recreates dialogue and gives us just enough character details that we feel as if we know the people he describes. I laughed aloud many times during this book, but there were hushed moments of sadness or meditation as well. He of course describes his bouts with cancer, the steadfastness of his wife Chas, and what it feels like to face mortality—as well as living with his current condition, unable to speak or eat. Remember how you felt the first time you watched Johnny Cash’s music video for Hurt? That’s a good approximation of how certain chapters toward the end of this book will make you feel. This is certainly the best book I’ve read this year, and one of the best memoirs I’ve ever come across. Read it, even if you don’t idolize Ebert the way I do. It’s a great meditation on life itself.

Take a look, it’s in a book, Reading Rainbow! Or, Rose reviews some books.

My reading for 2012 has been pretty varied so far: Short story collections, memoir, graphic novels, YA fiction, classic literature, European crime novels. I like variety, what can I say? Here are some of my favorites of the ones I’ve absorbed. Maybe you’ll find a new treasure from this assortment, or maybe you beat me to it and have already read all of them. Either way, here are my thoughts on books I’ve read recently.

Julia Wertz wrote and illustrated this autobiographical graphic novel (that’s a mouthful!) about her move from San Francisco to NYC in her early twenties. In a classic quarter life crisis, a family member with an addiction and the end of a romantic entanglement lead Julia to a life-changing decision: Life would be better with a change of scenery. With no job or real plan, she moves across the country and is soon confronted with the harsh reality that a new city just means a whole new set of challenges. Terrible landlords, jobs that are a bad fit, lots of alcohol, and a growing sense that maybe Julia’s problems have something to do with her approach to life.

She’s got a self-deprecating style and a dark sense of humor, so even though the book finds her at some pretty low points sometimes, it’s still really entertaining. I mean, before this book she was the author of an ongoing series called Fart Party… so you know she doesn’t take herself too seriously. I found this book charming and delightful, and I would highly recommend it.

Happily, even if you don’t find this book in your local library or comic book store, she posts many great comic vignettes on her website. Plus you can order the book directly from her there, and I’m always in favor of supporting artists I love.

It’s to my own detriment that I’d never heard of Jussi Adler-Olsen til I picked up this book; although, to be fair, he’s probably better known in Europe (especially his native Denmark) than the US. He’s been writing for most of my life, but this was my introduction to his work.

I’ll freely confess that my interest in Stiegg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy sent me on the hunt for more Nordic crime fiction,  and thanks to Goodreads and NoveList I came across this title. While it doesn’t bear a lot of resemblance to Larsson’s bestsellers, it satisfies the “solving brutal crimes” criteria. While Lisbeth Salander has yet to find a literary equivalent, Adler-Olsen populates his book with plenty of memorable characters and a taut pace that draws out the suspense til we can barely take it anymore.

There are two main characters in this book, and it takes time before we see how their stories intersect. Carl Morck is a homicide detective with undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a prickly relationship with his colleagues. He’s great at what he does but he can be a bit of a curmudgeon, to put it mildly. His newly hired assistant is a super enthusiastic Syrian immigrant named Assad, who comes across as a less condescending version of Sherlock Holmes as the novel unfolds. The relationship between Assad and Carl provides a great deal of humor, Odd Couple style.

It’s nice to have some cheerful moments, because the other main character in the story definitely has nothing to smile about. Her name is Merete Lynggaard, and she is being held captive for reasons beyond her understanding by people she can’t identify. The mystery of her disappearance is at the center of this book, and while we may think we can piece it together from clues in the narrative, there’s a lot more going on than one might imagine.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys suspenseful crime writing and memorable characters. At the beginning, the pace seemed a little slow, but really it just sets the stage for the bigger set pieces of the plot. I look forward to reading more by Jussi Adler-Olsen, and hope the rest of his books are just as fascinating as this one.

For me, Roger Ebert is a hero. I frequently disagree with his movie-related opinions, but I love reading them. I also love his blog, which gives way to beautifully written long form essays on many topics unrelated to film. I’m thrilled to have met him, even fleetingly, and while I know he can’t live forever, I dread his departure from the world. Even without a physical voice, he’s managed to crystallize his thoughts and opinions in such a distinct, memorable way. He’s made me think about things differently and his appreciation for the art of movie making frames even his negative reviews. I admire him and aspire to be the kind of writer and person he is.

Thus, I had high expectations for Ebert’s memoir. I knew it would be interesting and thoughtful, but I had no idea it would be so detailed and hilarious. He recalls incidents from his early childhood through his travels in college, his early romances and his middle age alcoholism, his encounters with many of Hollywood’s icons and his appreciation for fellow writers at the Sun-Times. To read his accounts of a scene is to be transported back in time and experience it firsthand. He recreates dialogue and gives us just enough character details that we feel as if we know the people he describes.

I laughed aloud many times during this book, but there were hushed moments of sadness or meditation as well. He of course describes his bouts with cancer, the steadfastness of his wife Chas, and what it feels like to face mortality—as well as living with his current condition, unable to speak or eat. Remember how you felt the first time you watched Johnny Cash’s music video for Hurt? That’s a good approximation of how certain chapters toward the end of this book will make you feel.

This is certainly the best book I’ve read this year, and one of the best memoirs I’ve ever come across. Read it, even if you don’t idolize Ebert the way I do. It’s a great meditation on life itself.

Movie Review: The Hunger Games Adapting literature for film requires a delicate balance between respecting the material and maximizing the given medium to realize an artistic vision. Placating fans of the book must be balanced with practical concerns, such as keeping the movie around the two-hour mark, despite the book being hundreds or thousands of pages. As a predictably rabid fan of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy, I naturally had my concerns about seeing the story come to life on the big screen. I’m happy to say that while not everything matched my expectations, the film mostly does a good job transforming the written word into a visual experience. Let’s start with the cast. I love Jennifer Lawrence, and she makes a perfect Katniss Everdeen. She’s got the same indomitable spirit I loved about the Katniss in the book. She’s tough and doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind or take whatever action the situation requires of her. Not only does Lawrence capture the physicality and nimble bearing, but she also comes across as someone with a level head and a way to outwit people who are bigger and stronger. That’s her key to survival. Peeta, as portrayed by Josh Hutcherson, plays up his charm and uses surprisingly effective skills he learned in the bakery to get by in the arena of the games. Hutcherson did a great job in The Kids Are All Right as a teenager searching for family connections as a way to establish his own identity; here, his character seeks human connection as a way to stay alive. He does seem very sure of his own ideals, though, and determines to stay true to them even though that would seem next to impossible given his situation. The supporting cast really adds a lovely dimension to the film. Woody Harrelson is perfect as the drunken, sarcastic mentor Haymitch, who starts out with a rather prickly relationship to Katniss and Peeta but eventually warms up. In a film about a pretty grim future in which kids fight to the death in a televised spectacle, Haymitch brings some much-needed comic relief. Elizabeth Banks plays the insufferably perky Effie Trinket, who is quite concerned with good manners and putting on a show—she also looks like a walking cupcake. The exchanges between Effie and Haymitch are particularly priceless. Stanley Tucci portrays talk show host Caeser Flickerman, and he just radiates charm every time he appears, whether interviewing candidates or providing a sort of play-by-play commentary over footage of the Games. Wes Bentley is Seneca Crane, the “game maker” who designs the arena and monitors the action. His role in the first book wasn’t as significant as it is in the movie, but his character does play a vital part in the series and it was nice to get an introduction to him here. Another important and lovable character is Cinna, Katniss’ stylist, who is played by Lenny Kravitz. I wasn’t sure about that casting choice at first, but he does a great job of capturing the empathy and kindness the books described. Of course Donald Sutherland is great as the evil President Snow, and newcomer Amandla Stenberg deserves special consideration for her portrayal of fellow Hunger Games contestant Rue. The one weak link in the cast, unfortunately, is a character that’s pretty central to the story: Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, best friend, hunting partner, and maybe more to Katniss. While he doesn’t have too many lines in this movie, Hemsworth’s performance feels a bit unsteady and amateur, especially compared to the rest of the cast. I can only hope he’ll grow as a performer as the movies go on. It seemed like he was cast more for his resemblance to the character than his ability to act. So, on to the rest of the story. The script, cinematography, and production design are all very effective. I loved the way it all looked, and the details of the Capitol, costumes, even the sounds. The reaping scene—where Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place in the Games—made my heart stop. I also enjoyed the editing of the preparations for the Games after Katniss and Peeta arrive in the Capitol. Once they got into the arena, though, I found myself wishing for a little more. Obviously, to target the teen audience of the book, the movie needed to be rated PG-13. But the violence and intensity that made my pulse race as I read the book had to be sanitized to avoid an R. As a result, what we get are a lot of close-up shaky-cam sequences, which we know probably indicate something violent is happening, but it’s hard to tell precisely what that might be. Also, because the movie has a certain time frame it has to meet, we don’t get to know the characters as well and probably as a result don’t feel as much for them. People I’ve talked to who didn’t read the books still enjoyed the movie, but said it felt a little rushed. I think that’s fair. Still, the suspense is there and it’s thrilling to see how Katniss and Peeta respond to the ever-changing threats they encounter. When thinking of my favorite book-to-movie adaptations, the top ones on my list are Fight Club, Lord of the Rings, and To Kill A Mockingbird. This one is not quite at that level, but I think it’s probably about on par with many of the Harry Potter movies in the sense that details are necessarily left out for time constraints, but the heart of the story remains intact. I left this movie feeling satisfied and looking forward to many more viewings of it. If you haven’t seen it, you should—especially if you enjoyed the books. If you haven’t read the books, you’ll probably still have a good time; but you might want someone with you that can answer questions the plot doesn’t have time to address. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
Triple Feature of Awesome: Movies You’ve Gotta See Here’s a trio of movies that you seriously can’t miss. They will bowl you over and leave you gasping for breath for a variety of reasons. Two you’ve probably heard of, one is a little off the beaten path; all are great. Let’s go in alphabetical order, shall we? Bellflower You wouldn’t expect a movie involving flamethrowers and cars with flaming exhaust pipes to be described as “low budget.” Yet Evan Glodell, who wrote, directed, and stars in Bellflower, made this movie for $17,000. No, I didn’t forget a zero somewhere. I didn’t know this til after I saw the movie and I wouldn’t have guessed. Everything looks real and incredible and awesome. So way to go, indie filmmakers! They also created their own special cameras, which you can read about elsewhere. I’m here to tell you about the images captured by those cameras. Basic plot: A couple dudes, Aiden and Woodrow, from Wisconsin have moved to California because it seems like the cool thing to do. They’re obsessed with the Mad Max movies, and fantasize about the apocalypse and how when it arrives, they’ll be prepared with a gang (Mother Medusa) and a car that shoots flames. But it doesn’t stop with just talking and doodling in sketchbooks. These guys actually build flamethrowers and make beastly cars with all kinds of probably to definitely illegal modifications (Speed Biscuit dispenses vodka from the dash, for example). When they aren’t blowing things up, they’re drinking. One night at a raucous bar, they meet a couple girls. Woodrow ends up in a cricket-eating contest with Milly, the closest to a meet cute this movie gets. She’s got this bewitching quality, and even though she warns Woodrow that she’s bad news, he can’t help but be drawn in by her. Things spiral in many directions from there, and I don’t want to give away anymore, but let’s just say while the romance starts out believably enough, things do take a darker and more surreal turn later on. I loved the natural performances in this film. Conversations flowed naturally, with characters developing organically instead of speaking lines intended to advance the plot or pound the viewer over the head with information. I really bought the friendship between Aiden and Woodrow, as well as the chemistry Milly and Woodrow have together. The look and style of the film is singular and memorable—everything is lit in a really unique way, and composition of each shot seems carefully considered. The characters in the movie are living in this exaggerated world that blends ordinary life with hyper-stylized fantasies. This is reflected in the kind of imagery and color seen on screen. Bellflower is available now on DVD and I hope you will seek it out. If you enjoy the movies of Robert Rodriguez, the Duplass brothers, Quentin Tarantino (style rather than dialogue in this case), or early 80s apocalypse-themed gems, Bellflower should prove to be a new favorite. Check out the trailer here. Martha Marcy May Marlene John Hawkes has long been a favorite actor of mine, from Eastbound and Down to Winter’s Bone. He straddles the line between normal next door neighbor and creepy unstable dude very well, so I guess it’s inevitable that he’d eventually be cast as a cult leader. His character here goes from charming to chilling in no time, and we can see why the title character (played wonderfully by newcomer Elizabeth Olsen, yes of those Olsens), falls under his spell. When we meet Martha, she’s running through the woods away from the rural farmhouse that serves as a home for many troubled young women, a few guys, and numerous children fathered by Patrick (Hawkes). Despite an encounter in town with another cult member, Martha manages to call her estranged sister from a pay phone and through chattering teeth relays barely enough info about her location to be found. Lucy (Sarah Paulson) doesn’t get the real story, but she does come pick Martha up and brings her home. Despite many signs that Martha has serious issues, Lucy and her new husband Ted (Hugh Dancy) seem to think she’s just being obnoxious or awkward. The movie cuts back and forth from scenes at the cult, where gardening and rape seem to be held in equal esteem, to scenes at Lucy and Ted’s summer house. Martha’s having trouble, understandably, separating herself mentally from what she’s experienced. She has flashbacks and seems to hallucinate, spending a lot of time being paranoid. At other times, she behaves in totally inappropriate ways for an adult and doesn’t seem to understand why her sister and brother-in-law are so appalled. I found myself riveted, sucked inside the head of this damaged girl. Throughout the film, her fate seems uncertain. Will she be able to eventually adjust to normal life? Will the cult members find her and bring her back? Will she go back on her own? So many uncertainties, and the paranoia escalates toward all-out breakdown near the end of the movie. My heart pounded and I grabbed my blanket tighter around me on the couch as the film reached its climax. Even after the credits, I kept revisiting scenes in my head and trying to escape them myself. This is a really effective thriller with terrific acting on the part of Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes in particular. Do yourself a favor and see it, especially if you haven’t been scared in a while. View the trailer here. Take Shelter Like Bellflower, Take Shelter features incredible imagery and cinematography. Instead of flaming cars, however, this movie’s focus is on a deadly storm. The question is whether that storm is real or imaginary. Michael Shannon portrays Curtis, a thoughtful husband and father, who begins having recurring intense visions about a devastating tornado that rips through his community and threatens his family and himself. In its wake, it transforms people and animals he knows and loves into malevolent beings who are out to harm him. Disturbing stuff, to say the least—and it doesn’t help that when he dreams about his dog biting him, he wakes up with a sore arm. But Curtis is a reasonable guy, and as hard as it is to shake off these nightmares, he begins to worry that his family history of mental illness might be at the root of the problem. Jessica Chastain, who has been popping up everywhere in the last year, plays Samantha, who sees her husband’s increasingly erratic behavior and doesn’t know whether to be worried or angry. Their hearing-impaired daughter requires procedures that won’t be cheap. When Curtis starts fortifying their storm shelter and stockpiling food and other emergency supplies, it’s hard to justify the expense. Incredible performances and a carefully assembled story make this a must-see film. It’s suspenseful, dramatic, and ultimately makes you question the nature of these dreams and the appropriate response right up to the last frame. Take Shelter is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and is currently available through Redbox. Watch a preview for the movie here.

Triple Feature of Awesome: Movies You’ve Gotta See

Here’s a trio of movies that you seriously can’t miss. They will bowl you over and leave you gasping for breath for a variety of reasons. Two you’ve probably heard of, one is a little off the beaten path; all are great. Let’s go in alphabetical order, shall we?

Bellflower

You wouldn’t expect a movie involving flamethrowers and cars with flaming exhaust pipes to be described as “low budget.” Yet Evan Glodell, who wrote, directed, and stars in Bellflower, made this movie for $17,000. No, I didn’t forget a zero somewhere. I didn’t know this til after I saw the movie and I wouldn’t have guessed. Everything looks real and incredible and awesome. So way to go, indie filmmakers! They also created their own special cameras, which you can read about elsewhere. I’m here to tell you about the images captured by those cameras.

Basic plot: A couple dudes, Aiden and Woodrow, from Wisconsin have moved to California because it seems like the cool thing to do. They’re obsessed with the Mad Max movies, and fantasize about the apocalypse and how when it arrives, they’ll be prepared with a gang (Mother Medusa) and a car that shoots flames. But it doesn’t stop with just talking and doodling in sketchbooks. These guys actually build flamethrowers and make beastly cars with all kinds of probably to definitely illegal modifications (Speed Biscuit dispenses vodka from the dash, for example).

When they aren’t blowing things up, they’re drinking. One night at a raucous bar, they meet a couple girls. Woodrow ends up in a cricket-eating contest with Milly, the closest to a meet cute this movie gets. She’s got this bewitching quality, and even though she warns Woodrow that she’s bad news, he can’t help but be drawn in by her.

Things spiral in many directions from there, and I don’t want to give away anymore, but let’s just say while the romance starts out believably enough, things do take a darker and more surreal turn later on.

I loved the natural performances in this film. Conversations flowed naturally, with characters developing organically instead of speaking lines intended to advance the plot or pound the viewer over the head with information. I really bought the friendship between Aiden and Woodrow, as well as the chemistry Milly and Woodrow have together.

The look and style of the film is singular and memorable—everything is lit in a really unique way, and composition of each shot seems carefully considered. The characters in the movie are living in this exaggerated world that blends ordinary life with hyper-stylized fantasies. This is reflected in the kind of imagery and color seen on screen.

Bellflower is available now on DVD and I hope you will seek it out. If you enjoy the movies of Robert Rodriguez, the Duplass brothers, Quentin Tarantino (style rather than dialogue in this case), or early 80s apocalypse-themed gems, Bellflower should prove to be a new favorite. Check out the trailer here.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

John Hawkes has long been a favorite actor of mine, from Eastbound and Down to Winter’s Bone. He straddles the line between normal next door neighbor and creepy unstable dude very well, so I guess it’s inevitable that he’d eventually be cast as a cult leader. His character here goes from charming to chilling in no time, and we can see why the title character (played wonderfully by newcomer Elizabeth Olsen, yes of those Olsens), falls under his spell.

When we meet Martha, she’s running through the woods away from the rural farmhouse that serves as a home for many troubled young women, a few guys, and numerous children fathered by Patrick (Hawkes). Despite an encounter in town with another cult member, Martha manages to call her estranged sister from a pay phone and through chattering teeth relays barely enough info about her location to be found. Lucy (Sarah Paulson) doesn’t get the real story, but she does come pick Martha up and brings her home. Despite many signs that Martha has serious issues, Lucy and her new husband Ted (Hugh Dancy) seem to think she’s just being obnoxious or awkward.

The movie cuts back and forth from scenes at the cult, where gardening and rape seem to be held in equal esteem, to scenes at Lucy and Ted’s summer house. Martha’s having trouble, understandably, separating herself mentally from what she’s experienced. She has flashbacks and seems to hallucinate, spending a lot of time being paranoid. At other times, she behaves in totally inappropriate ways for an adult and doesn’t seem to understand why her sister and brother-in-law are so appalled.

I found myself riveted, sucked inside the head of this damaged girl. Throughout the film, her fate seems uncertain. Will she be able to eventually adjust to normal life? Will the cult members find her and bring her back? Will she go back on her own? So many uncertainties, and the paranoia escalates toward all-out breakdown near the end of the movie. My heart pounded and I grabbed my blanket tighter around me on the couch as the film reached its climax. Even after the credits, I kept revisiting scenes in my head and trying to escape them myself.

This is a really effective thriller with terrific acting on the part of Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes in particular. Do yourself a favor and see it, especially if you haven’t been scared in a while. View the trailer here.

Take Shelter

Like Bellflower, Take Shelter features incredible imagery and cinematography. Instead of flaming cars, however, this movie’s focus is on a deadly storm. The question is whether that storm is real or imaginary.

Michael Shannon portrays Curtis, a thoughtful husband and father, who begins having recurring intense visions about a devastating tornado that rips through his community and threatens his family and himself. In its wake, it transforms people and animals he knows and loves into malevolent beings who are out to harm him. Disturbing stuff, to say the least—and it doesn’t help that when he dreams about his dog biting him, he wakes up with a sore arm. But Curtis is a reasonable guy, and as hard as it is to shake off these nightmares, he begins to worry that his family history of mental illness might be at the root of the problem.

Jessica Chastain, who has been popping up everywhere in the last year, plays Samantha, who sees her husband’s increasingly erratic behavior and doesn’t know whether to be worried or angry. Their hearing-impaired daughter requires procedures that won’t be cheap. When Curtis starts fortifying their storm shelter and stockpiling food and other emergency supplies, it’s hard to justify the expense.

Incredible performances and a carefully assembled story make this a must-see film. It’s suspenseful, dramatic, and ultimately makes you question the nature of these dreams and the appropriate response right up to the last frame.

Take Shelter is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and is currently available through Redbox. Watch a preview for the movie here.

Movie Review: Attack the Block To borrow a phrase from eternal fixtures of linguistic elegance, Bill & Ted, this movie is most triumphant. It’s a fast-paced, funny, thrilling film that pits a band of British gang members against an alien invasion—and these aliens are unlike any you’ve seen before. As the film opens, a young nurse (Jodie Whittaker) gets mugged on her way home. The muggers get interrupted, however, when something drops from the sky. They go in for a closer look, and realize it’s not just a firework or meteor—it’s alive. They kill it and decide to take it as a trophy, but of course that doesn’t turn out so well when other, similar things start dropping out of the sky all over the neighborhood. Cops won’t believe them and would rather put them in jail for their criminal activities; the guys higher up the chain of command in the street hierarchy think they’re just telling tales; and the threat becomes more sinister all the time. Thus, the kids have no choice but to deal with the aliens on their own. There’s all kinds of great action and suspense—from the chase scenes to the alien-human combat. But another wonderful element to all this is the dialogue, which I confess I needed subtitles to actually understand at times. Thick British accents peppered with street slang I’d never heard basically necessitated the captions. I’m sure if I watched it a second time I’d pick up even more, but these kids are downright hilarious… and heroic. Joe Cornish directs, making a strong and memorable debut into the sci fi/action genre. He’s worked with Edgar Wright in the past, and fans of Wright will be happy to learn that Nick Frost has a supporting role here as a mid-level pot dealer. The rest of the cast is excellent but not well known. The standout is John Boyega, who portrays Moses, the leader of the gang. We see his character transform from a street thug into a hero, trying to save his friends and his neighborhood from these bizarre creatures. The movie is out on DVD and Blu-Ray, and it’s well worth the 88 minutes required to watch it. I loved every second.
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Movie Review: The Myth of the American Sleepover This lovely independent film took me by surprise. At a time when so many movies involving teens rely on raunch, bad behavior, and stylish flourishes that will only seem cool for a month or two, The Myth of the American Sleepover feels anachronistic because it lacks all of those characteristics. Instead, this movie lets character and atmosphere do all the heavy lifting, and doesn’t bother with showing off overly clever dialogue or product placement of the latest technology. By stripping away these elements, it leaves nothing but heart and nostalgia for being a kid. The movie lets us into the lives of several groups of friends, all either in high school or in that neighborhood, on the last night of summer. The girls are having a sleepover, the boys are getting together (but they don’t call it a sleepover because they’re BOYS), there’s a rumored party, and most of all there’s the promise of possibilities. The little dramas of trying to find that cute girl from the supermarket, or finally working up the nerve to talk to that cute lifeguard from the water park, or getting that person you’re friends with to notice that you’d like to be a lot more than friends. There will be gossip, and a bit of underage drinking, and maybe a few kisses. But overall, it’s pretty innocent stuff. My favorite thing about this movie is how REAL it all seemed. The actors are virtually all on screen for the first time, and they are just so believable and vulnerable and charismatic and normal. They capture the youthful insecurities and longing and embarrassment and idealism so well. It was refreshing to see girls bigger than a size 2 and boys with zits and the kids who are in the same grade but not the same point in puberty—all those things you see in the real world but not usually in movies. The director, David Robert Mitchell, has talked about how he intentionally cast unknown actors so we wouldn’t have any other context to put the characters in—that’s very effective. He also made an effort to take out things like cell phones and computers, but didn’t replace them with anything to evoke a certain era—the music is mostly acoustic indie rock and the clothing, cars, and hairstyles could fit anywhere in the last 30 years. This helps the movie feel timeless and lends it a universal appeal, because you don’t have to be of a certain generation to relate to the moments portrayed on screen. I loved the film and I would highly recommend it. It’s out now on DVD and Blu-Ray as well as Netflix Instant—so you have no excuse! Be sure to check it out. I think it’s destined to be a cult classic.
Movie Review: Melancholia Lars Von Trier has a gift for illuminating the depths of human suffering and painting it into a vision of cinematic wonder. In his latest film, glorious images of earthly opulence and celestial grandeur not only contrast with the misery of the characters, but contribute significantly to their depressed condition. It upends the notion of beauty of the grotesque, instead finding grotesqueness in beauty. This may sound unappealing, and I don’t know if this movie is for everyone; but if you want more than what’s offered in a typical popcorn flick, Melancholia is profoundly compelling. The movie opens with images that won’t make sense til much later, though even taken on their own they form a sort of visual poetry. After this, we enter the first half of the film: a wedding for Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), taking place at the palatial estate of John (Kiefer Sutherland) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg). The setting and details seem to be lifted from a fairy tale, but something’s amiss. Justine disappears for hours at a time to sleep, take a bath, read a bedtime story to her niece, and other things she definitely should not be doing on her wedding night. She goes from joyous and radiant to inconsolable, and even though her groom dotes on her and indulges every whim, she seems strangely distant. There’s also drama from several prominent wedding guests, and as the night wears on things go from bad to worse. Part two of the film takes place several months later, and centers on a new planet that’s been discovered: Melancholia. Its orbital path is sending it very close to Earth, and the scientific community seems pretty confident it won’t pose any sort of danger. But the internet is abuzz with those who fear a collision between Earth and Melancholia. Claire can’t stop obsessing about the possibilities, while her husband John assures her it will be fine as he stares out through a telescope for hours a day. Justine has come to stay with them, and she has her own theories about what will happen. I won’t reveal who gets it right, but the images of this planet as it approaches are both unsettling and incredibly beautiful. The movie is out on DVD and Blu-Ray today. See it for the phenomenal cinematography, the superb performances, and the catharsis you will inevitably experience upon viewing.
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