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Not So Smart

10 Apr

Full disclosure: I also saw Smart People this week, on Monday night.

It’s the story of a dysfunctional family with all kinds of Independent Movie Quirks, and there’s not too much of a plot, and I wasn’t really enjoying it, and, well, I fell asleep in the middle, so I missed about a third of it.

(What? I was tired from the move.)

I’m not going to bother giving the movie a grade (though C comes to mind), but I wanted to at least mention that I’d seen it, just in case you saw it advertised and wondered what I thought.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

9 Apr

Anyone who’s ever been dumped knows how hard it is to get over someone you love. For Peter Bretter (Jason Segel), it’s near impossible. His girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), is seemingly perfect, and even though she has the lack of courtesy to break up with Peter while he’s completely nude (not the last time he’ll be nude in this movie, by the way), he still pines for her. To escape the constant reminders of their relationship, Peter goes to Hawaii, where, what d’you know, Sarah’s there with her new boyfriend. It turns out Forgetting Sarah Marshall is more challenging than Peter thought.

Thankfully, liking this movie is much easier. Written by Segel, it includes many quotable lines and doesn’t fall for the typical romantic comedy cliches. Yes, Peter meets an equally engaging young woman (That 70s Show‘s Mila Kunis) and sure, Sarah’s new boyfriend is an idiot, but things don’t always go as expected with this foursome. Delivering the dialogue is this very appealing cast, led by unexpected leading man Segel. As with Knocked Up, the leads here are a pretty unlikely couple, but you can believe why they’d actually be together. Knocked Up writer/director Judd Apatow produced this film, and things are rounded out by amusing performances by a supporting cast that includes his regulars Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, and Paul Rudd. The laughs here aren’t as big as Knocked Up or Superbad, but FSM is definitely worth seeing. I’m giving it a strong B.

In Fact, It’s a Gas

6 Apr

As with the recent U2 3D film, Shine a Light is a document of big-time performers that must be seen on a very big screen.

This film of two 2006 performances by the Rolling Stones at New York’s Beacon Theater does more than just demonstrate why the Stones are such a legendary band; it also, ahem, shines a light on the men in the band, giving us insights into why they’ve stuck together all these years.

Director Martin Scorsese is a huge Stones fan; he uses a song by the band in most every movie he makes. In fact, in recent interviews, Mick Jagger has joked that Shine a Light may be the only Scorsese film that does not include “Gimme Shelter” in its soundtrack.

Point is, this is a guy who knows his subject. Continue reading →

Touchdown, But No Extra Point

1 Apr

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you’ve gotta love George Clooney. Nearly everything the guy does is classic and cool, not to mention totally retro. The way he dresses, the way he interacts with the press and the public, and especially the choices he makes in terms of movies — it’s all a throwback to a way things used to be.

His first two directorial efforts, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night, and Good Luck were informed by a classic sensibility and took place in an earlier time. Now, with Leatherheads, Clooney’s third film behind the lens, it’s clear he’s not quite done with the past. And I’m not complaining.

Continue reading →

Shabbat Shalom, Y’all!

28 Mar


Don’t watch this if you’re SHOMER SHABBOS! Especially not if you’re SHOMER F’ING SHABBOS!

Interesting

25 Mar

I must really be tapping into something here. Yesterday Boston.com and UniversalHub.com linked to me, driving more than 500 hits to this very blog. Now today, Globe critic Ty Burr is linking here from his own blog on Boston.com. I guess I must be doing something right. And thanks to someone named Brian Keaney for alerting Ty about my post.

Hi There.

24 Mar

If you’re reading this, there’s a very good chance you’ve come here from either UniversalHub.com or Boston.com, both of which have provided links to my site today.

UHub is linking to my graffiti post. The link on Boston.com (which is in the right-hand column, about halfway down the screen, under “New England Blogs”) directs you to my packing and purging post.

So if you’re new to my site, I just wanted to say “Welcome!” I hope you’ll come back often.

You Think?

23 Mar

Random graffiti of the day:


I saw this right off Gardner St., the street that runs parallel to Comm Ave. near Shaw’s, in Allston. It was on the wall behind the T-Mobile store.

Some neighborhoods have gang-related graffiti, others have large artwork. My neighborhood has film criticism. Hmmmmm …

The Talented Mr. Minghella

18 Mar

Just a short note to mark the passing of Anthony Minghella, who wrote and directed one of my all-time favorite movies, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Minghella also directed The English Patient and Cold Mountain, among other films, but for me, Ripley will stand as his greatest achievement. This film, alternately a thriller and a sad meditation on identity, always affects me when I see it. Matt Damon gives his best performance to date, and Minghella filmed it all beautifully, creating a virtual postcard of Italy that makes me long to visit. The ending is particularly well shot and edited nicely, and the score throughout is one of my favorites. If you’ve never seen Ripley, now is as good a time as any to rent or buy it. Do it as a tribute to Anthony Minghella, who will surely be missed.

The More You Know

3 Mar

Big, Important Discovery of the Day:
The really good cover of Don Henley’s “The Heart of the Matter” in the new Sex & the City trailer is not, as I suspected, by the movie’s costar, Jennifer Hudson, but by India.Arie.
Moral of the Story:
A well-placed cover of a great song in the trailer of a movie I was iffy about will make said movie a must-see. And, iTunes just made another sale.

Second-biggest Important Discovery of the Day:
All six of the laundry machines in my building — not just the two new ones — now cost $1.75 per load.
Moral of the Story:
I have more than one reason to be happy I’m moving and will have laundry in my apartment.

Third-biggest Important Discovery of the Day:
Buying a condo can be very stressful, especially the day before you have to sign the Purchase & Sale, hand over a big check, and decide on a mortgage lender.
Moral of the Story:
A week ago I told Todd I found the whole condo-buying process fun. Todd responded by saying, “If you’re having fun, then you’re not doing it right.” Wise words. But I choose to heed the even wiser words of that old adage, “Anything worth having is worth working for.” And I know it’s all going to be worth it a month from now.

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