“Thank God we can’t tell the future, we’d never get out of bed.” So speaks Barbara Weston, joining the rest of her despairingly dysfunctional family at her parents’ Oklahoma residence for a family crisis. And it is an accurate depiction of the 2-hour journey that this film takes us on, one full of family abuse and incest and heartbreak and countless other ordeals.
Adapted from Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer-prize winning play, the story is led by pill-popping, poison-tongued Violet Weston, whose mouth cancer and memories of her own abusive mother seem to be good enough reasons to spew discord at her kin. But Violet isn’t the only one with a loaded closet of skeletons – nearly every one of the characters in this film has a secret to hide, and you can be sure that every one of those secrets comes out at the worst possible moment. There is not one instant of this film that we see any hope for happiness, and that is what makes it so compelling: we want there to be a clean resolution, but that’s not always how families work.
Taking from its theatrical roots, the film is dialogue-heavy, but otherwise, it would never cross your mind that this story wasn’t originally for the screen… and it leads to some weighty one-liners. The performances in this film are brilliant, not surprising for a cast that includes Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts (both nominated for an Oscar for these very roles). All in all, a great film, but prepare yourself… If you think you have a messed up family, come watch this film and think again. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Sam's Blog - Her
I can imagine the idea sprouting as a joke... someone mentions how attached society has become to technology, and then someone else comments, what if someone fell in love with their computer? And then laughter ensues as they imagine how creepy/hilarious such a scenario could be. But that idea began to grow and grow, and in the hands of Spike Jonze, turned into a strange, deeply intricate and beautifully haunting story.
Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a quiet and thoughtful man who makes a living by writing beautiful letters for other people at Beautiful Handwritten Cards (the ironically dull name of the company). By and large, his life is mostly cut off from the rest of the world -- he really only routinely interacts with two other people: a coworker (Chris Pratt) and an old friend (Amy Adams) -- and perhaps his comfortability with this isolated lifestyle added to the separation between him and his wife, Catherine (Rooney Mara), about one year prior.
Theodore purchases a new, lifelike operating system to help him organize his life, and before long, he is talking and laughing with the OS (Scarlett Johansson), which calls itself Samantha. Their relationship begins to bud, as Samantha turns out to be the perfect companion: helpful, interested, funny, and always there to talk to. But she is more than that: she begins to discover more about herself, and is genuinely excited about life, which Theodore finds refreshing. Soon the two of them enter into the dating world.
Overall, the film is a realistic portrayal of the future: it incorporates a lot of concepts which are still just prototypes in today's world (holograms, voice and movement recognition software, etc.), almost taking them for granted in Theo's life, and yet doesn't get too carried away: it is the future, but it isn't as in your face as many other sci-fi worlds have made efforts to be. The same can be said with the cinematography: simple, beautiful, but not overbearing. All of these pieces fall into line with the direction of the film: the acceptance, not fear, of what could be. I was sure when I began watching that I was going to find the film deeply disturbing, see a world that could very well come into being somewhere down the line and feel a sense of foreboding: computers = bad, real people = good. But though there were a few moments in which I squirmed at the society that unfolded before me, it was refreshing to see Jonze take this world further than you could ever imagine, really getting into the meat of the problem as Samantha becomes just as real to the audience as any of the other characters.
Joaquin Phoenix does a phenomenal job with Theodore, and it is heartbreaking that Scarlett Johansson did not get nominated for her role as Samantha. The strange relationship that we watch unfold is mesmerizing, especially given that you can only actually SEE half of it.
Her should definitely be on your list of films to see. If you haven't already, come to the Midtown Cinema to check it out!
Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a quiet and thoughtful man who makes a living by writing beautiful letters for other people at Beautiful Handwritten Cards (the ironically dull name of the company). By and large, his life is mostly cut off from the rest of the world -- he really only routinely interacts with two other people: a coworker (Chris Pratt) and an old friend (Amy Adams) -- and perhaps his comfortability with this isolated lifestyle added to the separation between him and his wife, Catherine (Rooney Mara), about one year prior.
Theodore purchases a new, lifelike operating system to help him organize his life, and before long, he is talking and laughing with the OS (Scarlett Johansson), which calls itself Samantha. Their relationship begins to bud, as Samantha turns out to be the perfect companion: helpful, interested, funny, and always there to talk to. But she is more than that: she begins to discover more about herself, and is genuinely excited about life, which Theodore finds refreshing. Soon the two of them enter into the dating world.
Overall, the film is a realistic portrayal of the future: it incorporates a lot of concepts which are still just prototypes in today's world (holograms, voice and movement recognition software, etc.), almost taking them for granted in Theo's life, and yet doesn't get too carried away: it is the future, but it isn't as in your face as many other sci-fi worlds have made efforts to be. The same can be said with the cinematography: simple, beautiful, but not overbearing. All of these pieces fall into line with the direction of the film: the acceptance, not fear, of what could be. I was sure when I began watching that I was going to find the film deeply disturbing, see a world that could very well come into being somewhere down the line and feel a sense of foreboding: computers = bad, real people = good. But though there were a few moments in which I squirmed at the society that unfolded before me, it was refreshing to see Jonze take this world further than you could ever imagine, really getting into the meat of the problem as Samantha becomes just as real to the audience as any of the other characters.
Joaquin Phoenix does a phenomenal job with Theodore, and it is heartbreaking that Scarlett Johansson did not get nominated for her role as Samantha. The strange relationship that we watch unfold is mesmerizing, especially given that you can only actually SEE half of it.
Her should definitely be on your list of films to see. If you haven't already, come to the Midtown Cinema to check it out!
Sam's Blog - Oscar Nominated Shorts
Every year for Oscar season, people tend to focus on the Best Picture category, only paying attention to the feature length films in the lineup. But one must not forget that there are an abundance of shorter, more concise and yet still brilliant works of art. Welcome to the world of Oscar Nominated Shorts, in which prisoners who claim to be gods switch places with their psychiatrists, men fight to mend animated objects, and countless other stories touch our hearts. This year's choices run the gamut for the variety of stories they tell, providing quite a bit of competition for our Academy to choose between.
In the Animated section, we see an abundance of wonderful characters who vie for our attention, including an OCD man (Mr. Hublot), a feral child (Feral), a witch and her cat (Room on the Broom), a weary Japanese traveller (Possessions), and of course our good friends Mickey and Minnie (Get a Horse!). My bet for the Oscar win is on Feral -- such a captivating look at how society can be more threatening than the wild -- though they all bring their game, making it a close call... Talk about the characters coming to life before your eyes -- in Get a Horse, they literally jump off the screen!
The Live Action section also packs a punch with its films. Some carry their weight in sentimental value, such as the janitor telling a story to a terminally ill child (Helium), and some hit hard with their clever premises, such as The Voorman Problem and Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? Then there are the films that leave you on the edge of your seat: That Wasn't Me, and Just Before Losing Everything. This last one is my personal favorite of the category, the story of a woman trying to remove herself and her children from the grasp of her abusive husband. It focuses so much on the practical terms of the escape that when the emotional moments do happen, they throw you right into the moment.
In the Documentary section, we meet all sorts of interesting people, and encounter all sorts of situations. The Lady in Number 6 is a pianist who survived the Holocaust; Karama Has No Walls plops us into a moment of attack on a peaceful protest in Yemen; In Facing Fear, a former neo-Nazi and his hate crime victim hash out their history; CaveDigger explores a world of cathedral-like sandstone caves dug straight out of the earth; and Prison Terminal shows us the last months of a terminally ill prisoner. These films completely transport you into someone else's world for upwards of 45 minutes, and let me tell you, those worlds are captivating. My vote would be for Karama Has No Walls -- once it hits you that the blood you're seeing is real, you'll be left wanting to just sit quietly by yourself after it's over.
Each section is playing at the MC (the documentaries will be in two separate programs), so be sure to check out (carefully) the show times. Have your own opinion about which films will win? Comment below, or better yet, come have a coffee with us here at the Cinema and give us a good debate!
In the Animated section, we see an abundance of wonderful characters who vie for our attention, including an OCD man (Mr. Hublot), a feral child (Feral), a witch and her cat (Room on the Broom), a weary Japanese traveller (Possessions), and of course our good friends Mickey and Minnie (Get a Horse!). My bet for the Oscar win is on Feral -- such a captivating look at how society can be more threatening than the wild -- though they all bring their game, making it a close call... Talk about the characters coming to life before your eyes -- in Get a Horse, they literally jump off the screen!
The Live Action section also packs a punch with its films. Some carry their weight in sentimental value, such as the janitor telling a story to a terminally ill child (Helium), and some hit hard with their clever premises, such as The Voorman Problem and Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? Then there are the films that leave you on the edge of your seat: That Wasn't Me, and Just Before Losing Everything. This last one is my personal favorite of the category, the story of a woman trying to remove herself and her children from the grasp of her abusive husband. It focuses so much on the practical terms of the escape that when the emotional moments do happen, they throw you right into the moment.
In the Documentary section, we meet all sorts of interesting people, and encounter all sorts of situations. The Lady in Number 6 is a pianist who survived the Holocaust; Karama Has No Walls plops us into a moment of attack on a peaceful protest in Yemen; In Facing Fear, a former neo-Nazi and his hate crime victim hash out their history; CaveDigger explores a world of cathedral-like sandstone caves dug straight out of the earth; and Prison Terminal shows us the last months of a terminally ill prisoner. These films completely transport you into someone else's world for upwards of 45 minutes, and let me tell you, those worlds are captivating. My vote would be for Karama Has No Walls -- once it hits you that the blood you're seeing is real, you'll be left wanting to just sit quietly by yourself after it's over.
Each section is playing at the MC (the documentaries will be in two separate programs), so be sure to check out (carefully) the show times. Have your own opinion about which films will win? Comment below, or better yet, come have a coffee with us here at the Cinema and give us a good debate!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Sam's Blog - Nebraska
Nebraska
There is nothing especially extraordinary about the Grant family -- there are no ongoing family quarrels, no inherent drama that makes their life together too much of a struggle... Alexander Payne opens a door into a normal family's life, allowing us to see a glimpse of what excitement in Midwest America is like.
Bruce Dern plays Woody Grant, a quiet and senile alcoholic living in Billings, Montana with his foul-mouthed, outspoken wife, Kate (played by June Squibb). Woody gets a letter in the mail stating that he has won a million dollars (if he orders some magazine subscriptions and has the winning code), and will be damned if he doesn't make it to Lincoln, Nebraska to pick up his winnings -- even if he has to walk there. His son, David (Will Forte) finally decides to humor him and drive him there; so begins a road trip in which father and son try to bond with one another before the old man loses his mind altogether. The film was shot in black and white, and the cinematography and musical score combined really capture the rambling feel of the story.
Woody may not actually become a millionaire, but his insistence that he will be causes problems along the way -- a classic example of a character creating a conflict for himself to overcome. This theme, sprinkled with plenty of small-town humor, is what pulls the film together. Come watch at the Midtown Cinema!
There is nothing especially extraordinary about the Grant family -- there are no ongoing family quarrels, no inherent drama that makes their life together too much of a struggle... Alexander Payne opens a door into a normal family's life, allowing us to see a glimpse of what excitement in Midwest America is like.
Bruce Dern plays Woody Grant, a quiet and senile alcoholic living in Billings, Montana with his foul-mouthed, outspoken wife, Kate (played by June Squibb). Woody gets a letter in the mail stating that he has won a million dollars (if he orders some magazine subscriptions and has the winning code), and will be damned if he doesn't make it to Lincoln, Nebraska to pick up his winnings -- even if he has to walk there. His son, David (Will Forte) finally decides to humor him and drive him there; so begins a road trip in which father and son try to bond with one another before the old man loses his mind altogether. The film was shot in black and white, and the cinematography and musical score combined really capture the rambling feel of the story.
Woody may not actually become a millionaire, but his insistence that he will be causes problems along the way -- a classic example of a character creating a conflict for himself to overcome. This theme, sprinkled with plenty of small-town humor, is what pulls the film together. Come watch at the Midtown Cinema!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Sam's Blog - Inside Llewyn Davis
We meet Llewyn Davis performing onstage at the Gaslight Cafe, winter of 1961, putting his heart into his music like it's the last time he'll ever play that guitar. The film then takes us back to the week leading up to this moment, in which we learn that Llewyn Davis is a broke, homeless, and mean-spirited folk singer whose loss of the other half of his duo has turned him into a desperate solo act who no longer views music as his passion, but his job. Trying to escape the cold, Llewyn bounces back and forth between friends' houses (though perhaps "connections" would be a better word than "friends"), making every effort to overturn his misfortune. But his mind is plagued by many things, all of which point toward his shortcomings, and all of which he is trying to escape.
Llewyn is a complex character, and Oscar Isaac really delves into his inner turmoil as he takes his rambling journey to seemingly nowhere, amidst the melancholy songs that reflect the tone of the film. The Coen Brothers have done a fantastic job of revealing the darker, more dismal side of a musician's struggle, and of humanity, as well, as nearly every character dishes the unpleasantries right back at Llewyn.
This is a great film with an inspiring folk soundtrack, one which I hope will spark a lot of discussion. Come see Inside Llewyn Davis at the Midtown Cinema!
- Sam
Llewyn is a complex character, and Oscar Isaac really delves into his inner turmoil as he takes his rambling journey to seemingly nowhere, amidst the melancholy songs that reflect the tone of the film. The Coen Brothers have done a fantastic job of revealing the darker, more dismal side of a musician's struggle, and of humanity, as well, as nearly every character dishes the unpleasantries right back at Llewyn.
This is a great film with an inspiring folk soundtrack, one which I hope will spark a lot of discussion. Come see Inside Llewyn Davis at the Midtown Cinema!
- Sam
Monday, January 6, 2014
Down in Front! Comedy Improv - 2nd Fridays @9:30ish
DOWN IN FRONT! Comedy Improv
2nd Fridays at 9:30ish
Comedy improv riffing for the masses. Think MST3K for HBG. DOWN IN FRONT! (DIF!) rips apart the best of the worst in b-movies. Join us whilst we rip apart these cinematic masterpiece. BYOB... you'll need it. $5. PURCHASE TICKETS NOW. CLICK HERE.
1/9 – MONSTER A GO-GO! (1965) 70min - A space capsule crash-lands, and the astronaut aboard disappears. Is there a connection between the missing man and the monster roaming the area?
2/13 - DIF! Greatest Hits Edition: THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE (1962) 82min - A doctor experimenting with transplant techniques keeps his girlfriend’s head alive when she is decapitated in a car crash, then goes hunting for a new body.
3/13 – ZAAT (1971) PG, 100min - A mad scientist transforms himself into an aquatic killer.
4/10 - ROBOT MONSTER (1953) Approved, 66min - The monstrous Ro-Man attempts to annihilate the last family alive on Earth, but finds himself falling for their beautiful daughter.
4/20 – REEFER MADNESS (1936) TV-PG, 66min - Cautionary tale features a fictionalized take on the use of marijuana. A trio of drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to reefer by holding wild parties with jazz music.
Films are subject to change.
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