Review: Twilight

This post is a guest review from my sister Sarah, age 13, who is a fan of the Twilight book series.

Twilight (2008)
"As a fan of all the Twilight books (except for Breaking Dawn for its disappointing end to the series) this movie resulted in just the same disappointment. The whole point of the Twilight books was to tell of a powerful love story that you'd get so caught up in you would miss the writing quality of an amateur, Stephanie Meyers, but in the movie, it's the exact opposite. All you notice from the opening scene of Bella Swan driving to the airport to the ending credits, is the cheesy lines and terrible casting. At one point Edward even says 'Hold on tight, my little Spider-Monkey.' There is even a 'car chase' in a Ford Focus.

The crowd for opening night laughed regularly throughout the movie at its absurdity. If you have not read the books, you will not understand a majority of it. For example, you would not understand why for about an hour of the movie Edward plugs his nose whenever around Bella, as well as many other parts of the movie.

For those that have read it, it also feels off. In the book, Edward was the perfect representation of the perfect guy (if he was a vampire I guess...). In the movie, he just came off creepy and pedophile-like. The parts that may be your favorite in the book, like the meadow scene, were slaughtered with forced lines. In the book, Edward is supposed to be beautiful, graceful, and mysterious. In the movie, however, his makeup was caked on so much you wondered why they did not just cast Marilyn Manson.

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Whenever Jasper came onto the screen, the crowd burst out laughing at his constant look of confusion that resembled a pale Raggedy Ann Doll on drugs. And for those of you that read the books, as far as I know, Edward's talents were strength, speed, and reading minds-- when was he ever able to crawl up the side of a tree?

If you'd like a laugh, buy a ticket. If not, don't waste your money.

This pretty much sums it up." - Sarah, my sister, age 13

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What to Watch This Week

In Theaters: Changeling (2008)

"A mother prays for the return of her kidnapped son. When her prayers are answered, however, she begins to suspect the boy who comes back is not her child. Inspired by true events that took place in Los Angeles in the 1920s."

The performance is definitely what drives this movie. The story, one of continuously-piled drama, disappointments and frustrations, is full of surprises (so long as you do not read anything about the true story behind it beforehand). A great story in a good film. It could have benefited from better pacing and tighter editing (it is a bit too long, but there is also just not enough John Malkovich, so...). Also, I could have used more heart-wrenching, soul-shaking, out-right-emotional-devastation scenes for Jolie (there is less of the violent "I want my son!" that you see in the trailers and more consistent, even tears), but I'm a masochist for that kind of drama.

It is definitely worth the watch if you like period pieces, true crime tales, Angelina Jolie, or if you want to be prepared for Oscar season. Jolie is crying for probably 85% of this film, so definitely look out for her come February 22, 2009. Fans of The Office or her performance in Gone, Baby, Gone should keep an eye out for Amy Ryan, who gives a fantastic performance in the short time she appears onscreen.

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On DVD - This Week's Theme: "Marriages that Work"
The Thin Man (1934)

"In New York, a detective, his wife and his dog solve the murder case of an eccentric inventor."

So few marriages that work in cinema these days, right? In fact, I would be hard-pressed to name a single couple in film from the last few years that has been truly "solid." My boyfriend often jokes that movies and television have led him to believe that marriage is inevitably terrible and married people are boring or unhappy (thanks, Hollywood).

He needs to watch The Thin Man, and so do you. It is a great, funny, and thoroughly modern film from 1934 that I would recommend to anyone. It fits this week's theme far better than any I could think of.

But, it is sad that I had to go back so far to find such a good example of a great, natural marriage. It's about time we have another film that defies the studios' penchant for unstable (or, if not unstable, then unrealistic) relationships. As Monika Bartyzel over at Cinematical so accurately pointed out,

"Nick and Nora are a couple that put today's Hollywood pairs to shame. Their communication is laced with quick-witted banter, which thrives not just because of its cleverness, but because of their relationship. Nick and Nora are at peace with each other. They know where they stand. They know how to communicate honestly. They don't take trivial matters too seriously. They are, for lack of a better word, solid."

How can you not love a couple where, when one gets drunk, the other orders enough drinks at once to catch up? Or, when Nora walks in on Nick hugging another woman to comfort her, she simply makes a face at him (and he makes one back)? William Powell and Myrna Loy play the couple to absolute perfection. They not only have a romantic chemistry, but also an easy friendship.

Forget the lofty romantic couplings like Jack and Rose, Christian and Satine, Inman and Ada (...okay, not entirely, of course). I would kill to have a relationship like Nick and Nora's.

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Review: Happy-Go-Lucky

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
It is so rare to watch a movie that motivates you to look at your life in a different way. Even rarer still is a movie that makes you want to take a more positive outlook on life, instead of the other way around (seriously, how dark and dreary are our "serious" films these days? not that I'm really complaining, since I'm a glutton for a good tragedy).

"Happy-Go-Lucky" is about the different ways that people live their lives: some, like an abused boy in Poppy's class, have psychological choices made for them. But, if we're lucky, we have a choice. Everyone's worldview is different-- heavily influenced by their environment, but also individually-crafted. When someone's bike gets stolen, they might shout or curse, or call the police. What does Poppy do? She shrugs her shoulders and says with a smile, "I didn't even get to say goodbye!"

Poppy (played brilliantly by Sally Hawkins) has chosen to be happy; others choose to be angry, or to be sad, or to be something in between, but Poppy wants to be happy, and wants others to be happy, too.

In the beginning she is someone that annoys most of us. With her effortless optimistic and constant energy, she was obnoxious enough to make me roll my eyes more than once. Doesn't everyone just hate people like that? Why are they so happy?

But stick it out, because by the end you might understand why Poppy is happy. In other films, you might expect there to be this "hidden side"-- this dark and painful interior that is masked by a bubbly expression and charming wit. What is radical about this film is that that simply isn't the case. You have to see just how complex this character truly is, but it is not in the way you might expect.

Mike Leigh has made a character study for a film, peeling back the layers of this optimistic schoolteacher until we see that, more than just being peppy, she is a truly good person and genuinely cares. Honestly, how many people can we say that about, both in real life and in Hollywood? In one scene she approaches a homeless man who is sitting alone outside, shouting incoherently to himself. He repeats the same things over and over, then pauses only long enough to say, "You know?" Poppy listens intently and replies sincerely, "I know." She was probably the first person to talk to him in days-- weeks, even-- and she not only talks; she listens. Poppy wants to be happy, so others will be happy.

If only it were that simple.

At exactly the same moment that we (the viewers) are all thinking it, Poppy's roommate Zoe suggests, "You can't make everyone happy." Poppy's response? "But there's no harm in trying, is there?"

And really, is there?

See this movie immediately-- not because it is a particularly funny comedy, or even all that warm and fuzzy, but because it is a brilliant, inspiring portrait of a genuinely good person. When was the last time you saw a movie like that?

And afterward, when you are feeling short-tempered or put-upon (which I know I feel daily on my commute), you will be asking yourself, "What would Poppy do?" That lasting impression is the mark of a great movie. I cannot recommend it enough.

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Review: The Visitor

The Visitor (2007)
It has been a rare few weeks without a single movie watched. The start of a job will do that to you. My first return to my blissful comfort zone was The Visitor, by the director of The Station Agent. I am sure that does not register with a lot of you, but having seen his previous work I knew what to expect from this one.

The Visitor lived up to all my expectations. Like Thomas McCarthy's previous film, this Sundance hit is a wonderful little indie gem, full of surprising acting chops and highly relatable characters. In the end, that is really the strength of this film: the characters are wholly authentic. Every blink, every frown, every smile is as real as you can find in the movies today.

The plot follows an emotionally-detatched intellectual (Richard Jenkins) continously mourning the death of his wife. When he goes to his NYC apartment for a conference, he finds two illegal immigrants living there. Instead of freaking out, he invites them to stay.

I am sure you can guess the rest (emotional awakening! the value of connecting with people! the issue of immigration in post-9/11 USA! etc). The story is a bit clunky at times, and maybe a bit heavy-handed, but the individual characterizations are so refreshingly realistic that the heavy-hand is lightened by their easy nature.

The highlight of this film for me was when the two older characters found a companionship they had long stopped seeking out. This type of storyline is rarely played out right. Sometimes, as in Something's Gotta Give, it is just awkward. Oftentimes, it is cheesy, or ignored altogether. In The Visitor, the subtle connection is explored with the appropriate amount of reserve, respect, and care.

This movie is about the happy and sad surprises in our lives, and how inextricable they are from each other. Ultimately, life becomes just one long string of them. But, the moral of the story is that each of them shapes us. Hopefully, in the end, we can find a way to adapt to being happy.

And, it is so nice to watch a movie that is not populated exclusively by the Beautiful People Club™. Even indie films have gotten too beautiful lately.

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