Our annual Summer Classics series of repertory favorites from Hollywood and beyond begins next week, Tuesday, June 4, with the original King Kong. All summer long, we’ll be featuring vintage and recent classics on the big screen, with film series celebrating iconic filmmakers Alfred Hitchcock and David Lean, three new sing-alongs, the new 90th anniversary DCP restoration of Harold Lloyd’s silent comedy Safety Last!, and one night Summer Classic Seminars on Back to the Future and Brief Encounter. In addition, for the first time we’re featuring family films on Saturday mornings all summer long, including a month of the Marx Brothers!
We asked some of our staff to tell us what they're most looking forward to seeing at BMFI this summer. Do you agree? What are you excited to see?
I don't know about you, but I make it a habit to sing along with every musical I know, every time I watch them. And what's more fun than a campy musical about carnivorous alien plants? Answer: watching campy musicals about carnivorous alien plants on a big screen...and singing along with everyone in the theater. It sounds like it's gonna be a blast.
Sing along with Rick Moranis, who plays Seymour, the caretaker to the floral menace known as Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors.
Safety Last! – Tuesday, June 25, 7:00 pm Chosen by Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D., Director of Education
I’m very much looking forward to Safety Last! (1923) because though it’s Harold Lloyd’s most famous film, it really hasn’t been seen by a large segment of the contemporary audience, and this style of daring, physical comedy—similarly performed by Lloyd’s (even) more famous peers, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle—is a lost art that needs to be preserved, and enjoyed, through theatrical screenings like this one. Also, I think, not unlike “Rosebud,” far more people know the image of a man dangling from a clock, (apparently) high above a city street, than have actually seen the film from which it originates, and I like that people who come to see the film will be reminded of that connection—or make it for the first time.
Harold Lloyd hangs precariously from the clock of a New York skyscraper in Safety Last!
Back to the Future - Tuesday, July 2 Film at 7:00 pm Summer Classics Seminar at 6:30 pm Chosen by Valerie Temple, Programming Manager
I'm teaching a Summer Classics Seminar on Back to the Future, but that's only part of the reason I'm looking forward to seeing the time travelling adventure on the big screen. Even though I've seen this particular film approximately 192 times (at least), I've never had the pleasure of seeing it on the big screen. Finally, I'll get to see that souped up DeLorean zooming across a screen larger than my TV! I am worried that I'll disturb the other patrons as I know the dialogue by heart and can't help but quote along with the movie. So, if you come to the screening and I'm making too much of a ruckus, don't hesitate to tell me to "make like a tree and get out of there!"
Great Scott! Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox are perfectly cast in Back to the Future.
Brief Encounter - Tuesday, August 13 Film at 7:00 pm Summer Classics Seminar at 6:30 pm Chosen by Pat Wesley, Director of Development and Communications
I am not sure which pairing is less likely: two thirty-something, properly married (to others) war-time Brits or David Lean and Noël Coward. I do know the result is a wistful, tender Brief Encounter and I can’t wait to get lost again in the foggy heartbreak of it all.
Celia Johnson, boarding a train, shares a poignant look with Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter.
Heavyweights – Saturday, August 17, 11:00 am Chosen by Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D., Director of Education
I’ve never seen Heavyweights, but I’m very much looking forward to completing the trilogy of Ben Stiller-as-extremely-fit-but-dumb-as-a-bag-of-hammers-guy films that also includes Zoolander (2001) and Dodgeball (2004). Given the Disney branding and family-friendly elements of this film, I’m not expecting for the hilarity to be quite as ribald as it was in those films, but on the other hand, with co-writer/executive producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) behind the scenes, and comic talents like Paul Feig (director of Bridesmaids), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development), and comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on screen, I don’t think I’ll be disappointed.
Ben Stiller stars in Heavyweights as the insane (and insanely strict) fitness coach at Camp Hope.
For my part, although many of these films are personal favorites, I am particularly excited to bring a recent delight back to BMFI: Magic Camp, which we'll be showing on Monday, July 15 at 1:15 pm. If you missed our Pennsylvania Premiere of the film in December, this is your chance to see this charming documentary about Tannen's Magic Camp on the big screen again, with the added bonus of a Q&A with director Judd Ehrlich and performances by professional magicians who are instructors at the camp. Plus, it was filmed a few blocks away at Bryn Mawr College, where the camp meets!
Meet Magic Camp filmmaker Judd Ehrlich and campers and instructors from Tannen's Magic Camp at BMFI's encore of this fun documentary.
You can explore all of our films and upcoming events, watch trailers, and buy tickets at BrynMawrFilm.org, or look at the latest issue of Projections, our program guide.
Devin Wachs is the Public Relations Manager for Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She joined BMFI in 2005, following her graduation from Bryn Mawr College. If you send BMFI a message on Facebook or Twitter or are interested in onscreen sponsorships, she's the one who'll be in touch!
Happy holidays from all of us at Bryn Mawr Film Institute! Have you trimmed the tree and baked the cookies, but are still looking for the perfect gifts? Here are some of our favorite film-related gifts to give and receive.
The Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit game challenges your
memory of characters, places, elvish languages, and plot points of the great
J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy PLUS your knowledge of Peter Jackson’s film adaptations.
Surviving a round of this game is the litmus test for prospective suitors in
our family.
A League of Their Own is one of my favorite movies. The All American Girls Professional Baseball League has some great merchandise for the female sports fan, including some fun callbacks to the film, like this t-shirt. Plus, the proceeds support the non-profit AAGPBL Players Association.
This book is a wonderful gift for any serious Hitchcock fan, and especially for those who enjoy his Bay Area-set films: Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Vertigo (1958), and The Birds (1963). In addition to wonderful then-and-now photographs, behind-the-scenes dirt, location maps, and an introduction by Hitch’s daughter, Patricia, this book is a great help when planning a Northern California itinerary. Just ask my wife, who saw far more of Bodega Bay (setting of The Birds) than she bargained for during our trip to San Francisco.
Fans of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining are sure to appreciate this funky knit hat, the pattern of which is meant to emulate the garish carpeting of the Overlook Hotel--the creepy manor featured in the film. The bold print may not be everyone's cup of tea but this distinctive piece is sure to bring some much-needed color to the bleak winter months. Remember: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!"
I'm fan of Joss Whedon's work, especially his show Firefly and subsequent film, Serenity. I gave a similar apron as a gift last year to another fan so that they could cook with abandon and show their loyalty to the "browncoat" cause. I think Mal's example might have even encouraged them to take more risks in the kitchen!
PS. Of course, Bryn Mawr Film Institute has gift cards, gift memberships, tickets for a night out on the town at The Best Exotic Oscar Party, and raffle tickets to win a seven-night stay in Rome. To assist you with your last-minute gift purchases, the Box Office is open early every day this week.
Devin Wachs is the Public
Relations Manager for Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She joined BMFI in 2005,
following her graduation from Bryn Mawr College. If you send BMFI a message on
Facebook or Twitter or
are interested in onscreen sponsorships, she's the one who'll be in
touch!
We’re showing Billy Wilder’s The Apartment on 35 mm on Wednesday, August 11 as the official start to our “It’s a Mad Men’s World” film series. Programming Manager Valerie Temple shares three reasons why it’s her all-time favorite, film-wise.
Check back for additional posts by BMFI staff and community members that explore
the movies we love. Why I Love The Apartment By Valerie Temple, Programming Manager, BMFI
[This post contains SPOILERS, so be warned!]
The Apartment is my declared favorite movie. When someone asks me “What’s your favorite movie?” I answer, “The Apartment” without hesitation. This wasn’t always the case. Years ago, whenever someone dared to posit the dreaded favorite movie question, I would refuse to give a straight answer. “It’s too hard to pick just one,” I’d say. “I can give you my top ten, but that’s the best I can do.”
But then, during my junior year of college, I checked a certain VHS tape out of the campus media library to watch alone in my dorm room. Although hardly an ideal viewing environment for such a classic, the small screen failed to diminish the impact of Billy Wilder’s masterful direction, I.A.L. Diamond’s sparkling dialogue, and, most importantly, the intoxicating chemistry between leads Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. I was hooked immediately. It was love at first sight, and eleven years later it still tops my list.
What’s so great about The Apartment?
I’m glad you asked!
Bittersweet comedy – Although The Apartment retains the #20 spot on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Laughs list, it differs tonally from most straightforward comedies. This atypical film combines laugh-out-loud comedy with some very dark moments. I mean, how many comedies out there include a suicide attempt by one of the main characters?! And yet these tragic scenes do not detract from the overall humor of the film. In fact, they imbue the story and characters with humanity that is often not found in less sophisticated fare. The tightrope balance that Billy Wilder manages to tow between comedy and tragedy is truly commendable, and sets The Apartment apart from the rest.
C.C. "Buddy" Baxter (Jack Lemmon) receives his highly-anticipated promotion after allowing his superiors to use his apartment for their romantic encounters.
Jack Lemmon as C.C. Baxter – Jack Lemmon has infused wit and warmth into many unforgettable roles (Felix Ungar in The Odd Couple, George Kellerman in The Out of Towners and John Gustafson in Grumpy Old Men, to name a few) but his prodigious talents are on full display as lovelorn office drone C.C. Baxter. In a difficult role that requires both immense comedic timing as well as the capacity for deep, tender emotion, Lemmon shines. He can be hilarious by doing something as simple as making a pasta dinner (with a tennis racket!), but he’s equally as adept at finding poignancy in the many downbeat moments of the film. Lemmon’s even able to make you laugh even while you’re crying, like the scene where a morose Baxter tries to drink thoughts of Miss Fran Kubelik (MacLaine) away and ends up dancing cheek to cheek with a blonde barfly. He so deftly embodies the role, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in it.
Buddy tries to impress Fran (Shirley MacLaine) with his creative cooking skills.
Best last line of a movie EVER – If this was the Family Feud, the most popular answer for a question about memorable final lines in movies would most likely be “Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” from Casablanca. For me, it doesn’t get better than the final line in The Apartment. After finally realizing her love for Baxter, Miss Kubelik high tails it back to the apartment, only to be stopped short by an ominous noise coming from behind the door. Is it a gunshot? No, it’s the “pop” of a champagne bottle, opened by Baxter to celebrate his plans to move from the tainted apartment (and becoming a “mensch”). The rest of the scene is a master class in understatement. As Fran talks with Baxter she takes out the deck of cards that the pair bonded over earlier in the film and begins to shuffle. When it dawns on Baxter that Fran has chosen him and she plans to stay, he states plainly “I love you, Miss Kubelik. You hear what I said, Miss Kubelik? I absolutely adore you.” True to the salty-and-sweet tone of the film, Miss Kubelik simply offers him the cards, smiles softly, and commands Baxter to “Shut up and deal.” This sharp little exchange is romance without the schmaltz, but it is still as effective as, say, ending on a big kiss like a typical romantic comedy would do. More so even, because it is so restrained. I still get chills watching it.
I could go on and on, but those are just three reasons I love The Apartment, and three reasons for you to see the gorgeous 35 mm print of the film screening at Bryn Mawr Film Institute on Wednesday, July 11 at 7:00 pm. Don’t miss it!
Valerie Temple is the Programming Manager at Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She has an M.F.A. in Film Production from Boston University and thinks she's very funny. (Her words.)
Tonight's screening of Nine to Fiveis in honor of Administrative Professionals Day and will feature free coffee and a sing-along to the movie's iconic theme song! Our programmer, Valerie Temple, tells us why she loves the classic comedy. Why I Love Nine to Five By Valerie Temple, Programming Manager, BMFI
Who hasn’t wanted to get even with the boss, especially one as dastardly as “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” Franklin M. Hart, Jr. in Nine to Five? Played with gleeful villainy by Dabney Coleman, Mr. Hart is the World’s Worst Boss – stealing ideas from co-workers with one hand and giving unwelcome pats on the bottom with the other.
Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda play three pink collar workers who take on their sexist boss (Dabney Coleman) in Nine to Five. What a way to make a living!
Even before I worked in an office, I felt for the poor, tormented employees of Consolidated Companies who had to put up with his near-constant sliminess and cheered when a trio of office underlings (frumpy Jane Fonda, feisty Lily Tomlin, and foxy Dolly Parton) took matters into their own hands and put Mr. Hart on a forced “vacation”. Granted, tying him up with S&M gear might have been a little extreme, but you can’t say he didn’t have it coming!
Inspired by Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) in Nine to Five, Valerie Temple pulled off this vintage late '70s suit in honor of our screening.
This hysterical comedy of pink collar revenge never gets old, but it might be a little sweeter ("Skinny and Sweet"?) experienced on the big screen at BMFI.
Valerie Temple is the Programming Manager at Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She has an M.F.A. in Film Production from Boston University and thinks she's very funny. (Her words.)
Sundance is in January, right? True, but our programmer Valerie Temple's reviews of the films she saw over her six days at the Sundance Film Festival are just as valid now as they were when snow was on the ground. Enjoy the festival time capsule! The Best and Worst of What I Saw at Sundance By Valerie Temple, BMFI Programming Manager
This year I went to Sundance, saw 24 films in six days, and somehow lived to tell the tale. I tried my hardest to see everything that sounded intriguing but, with more than a hundred films screening, it was inevitable that I would miss out on some good ones. I’m still upset that I got shut out of Bachelorette, for example.
But I did get to see some fantastic films and here I've helpfully broken down the movies I saw into nine handy categories that illustrate the running themes I noticed at the festival. Enjoy!
Best of the Fest: Beasts of the Southern Wild (d. Benh Zeitlin)
The most-buzzed about film at Sundance this year, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a remarkable achievement and totally deserving of its Grand Jury Award. This allegorical film about an intrepid six-year-old girl (played by incredible nonactor Quvenzhané Wallis) who lives with her mysteriously ailing father in a remote Delta community known only as “The Bathtub.” As they prepare for the apopcalyptic day when The Bathtub will be destroyed by rising waters, the film mixes in folkloric elements to create a truly unique work. Many of the films I saw this year skewed mainstream, but this film is a perfect example of why Sundance exists: To showcase important work made with an independent spirit.
These were terrible:
I arrived at the festival with the naïve belief that any film screened at Sundance would at least be watchable. Boy, was I wrong.
Filly Brown (d. Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos)
Gina Rodriguez is likable as would-be rapper Filly Brown, but this movie is just too cheesy to take seriously. With more melodramatic subplots than a telenovela, the film relies on stock characters (Drug-addicted Mom in Jail! Sleazy Record Producer! Mean White Lady!) and clichés instead of introducing us to any humans with anything resembling realistic motivations. The clunky dialogue also made for some unintentional laughs (“Why are you so insensitive, homes?”). The movie seems well intentioned, but it just didn’t work. Also, the music isn't any good.
The First Time (d. Jon Kasdan)
Ugh. I could not stop rolling my eyes at the dialogue in this treacly mess about two teenagers who meet, talk, and then (spoiler alert!) get together. That’s it. That’s all that happens. Playing out like a boring one-act play, the two leads endlessly jaw on about their problems with the opposite sex but they are far too attractive for any of this to ever make sense. I’ve never, ever met any teens who were so annoyingly wistful as the ones in this movie. It came as no surprise to find out that writer/director Jon Kasdan has a few episodes of Dawson’s Creek to his credit because the film takes the hyper-articulate nattering from that show and crams it into an artlessly framed John Hughes imitation. Given that the filmmaker’s dad is director Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat, The Big Chill) and his brother is TV producer/director Jake Kasdan (Freaks and Geeks, New Girl), I’m thinking nepotism had a hand in getting this subpar film into Sundance.
Middle of the Road:
These two movies were solid, well-made films. They just weren’t favorites.
Middle of Nowhere (d. Ava DuVernay)
Tyler Perry should watch this movie before he attempts something like For Colored Girls again. This is how to tell a serious story for the African-American community without embarrassing yourself. Perry instinctually shoots for the lowest common denominator while this story of a loyal wife biding her time as her husband serves out a prison sentence aimed for something much more—and mostly succeeded.
2 Days in New York d. Julie Delpy)
Fans of Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in Paris should be excited because this is essentially the same movie, except Chris Rock is now playing the boyfriend instead of Adam Goldberg. Delpy’s brand of quirky humor sometimes works, but the scenes (and there are more than one!) of Chris Rock talking/doing stand-up to a cardboard cutout of Obama are cringe worthy and already dated.
Excellent Foreign Films:
Wish You Were Here (d. Kieran Darcy-Smith)
Four beautiful Australians take a holiday to Cambodia and one doesn’t come back in this film, my first of the festival, that could be best described as a dramatic take of The Hangover. The stunning location cinematography impressed and the complex narrative structure ensured a powerfully shocking climax scene.
Where Do We Go Now? (d. Nadine Labaki)
I never thought I would describe a musical comedy about Lebanese religious in-fighting as “crowd pleasing,” but Where Do We Go Now? was one of the most enjoyable films I saw at the festival. Although the concept was unusual, the disparate elements (light comedy, tender romance, political drama) blended well into a unique whole.
Madrid, 1987 (d. David Trueba)
A luscious young student and her gnarly old professor get stuck in a bathroom overnight – naked! What follows is boring, erotic, then boring AND erotic. Although solidly made, this film was just too heavy on dialogue and light on action to hold my attention.
Teddy Bear (d. Mads Matthiesen)
I loved this weird Danish drama about a 38-year-old bodybuilder who is so dominated by his tiny, scary mother that he lacks any ability to talk to the opposite sex. That is, until he takes a trip to Thailand because love seems easier to find there. Like Wish You Were Here, this film exposes the seedy underbelly of vacationing in a foreign country.
Good movies about thirtysomethings:
Hello I Must Be Going (d. Todd Louiso)
Since debuting opposite Kate Winslet in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, Melanie Lynskey has had a tougher time breaking through in Hollywood than her ridiculously famous co-star. She’s a recognizable face, but mainly for filling the Joan Cusack, best-friend role in middling movies (Coyote Ugly, Sweet Home Alabama) and being the best part of a crappy television show ("Two and a Half Men"). But that may change once people see her fantastic work as the lead in Hello I Must Be Going, a great film about a 35-year-old woman who is completely directionless after a divorce and has to move in with her parents. She spends her days wandering around the house in the same t-shirt and no pants and seems adrift since leaving her cozy life with her husband. When she starts an unexpected relationship with a 19 year old, it’s somehow sweet and not creepy. Blythe Danner is just perfect as her mother.
Celeste and Jesse Forever (d. Lee Toland Krieger)
Rashida Jones co-wrote and stars in Celeste and Jesse Forever, another favorite of mine from the festival. The story about a divorcing couple who want to stay best friends even as they pursue other people made me think about every breakup I’ve ever had, but in a good way. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, it's a sharply written movie that shows off Jones' comedic range. Also, it's nice to see Andy Samberg actually act.
Smashed (d. James Ponsoldt)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul are a young, married couple who love being drunk because it’s so much fun. But after a series of embarrassing and scary drunk escapades, Winstead decides to sober up, which puts a strain on the relationship. The film is refreshingly accessible, especially when compared to other films in the addiction canon, such as the bleak Leaving Las Vegas or preachy 28 Days. This is a couple you know and a story that might hit close to home. Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman have small but memorable roles.
Keep the Lights On (d. Ira Sachs)
Documentary filmmaker Erik and closeted lawyer Paul meet-cute through a casual encounter phone line (it was 1998, folks!) and what follows is an intensely personal, super-honest film that chronicles the dizzying high-highs and depressing low-lows of a decade-long relationship, one additionally complicated by crack addiction. I wish I could have seen the entire film, but I left early in order to catch a screening of The Comedy. As you’ll read below, that was an error in judgement.
Say No to Hipsters:
I didn’t see I Am Not a Hipster (because the title alone makes my skin crawl), but I got my fill of stylish disaffection with these two bile-inducing films.
The Comedy (d. Rick Alverson)
Tim Heidecker’s fat, aging hipster is possibly the most hateful character ever committed to celluloid. He’s an entitled jerk who doesn’t take anything seriously and acts like a giant asshole to everyone except his friends, who are also doughy, unshaven layabouts. Instead of a plot there are loose, unconnected scenes that feel more like sketch ideas (“Tim Bullies a Cab Driver Into Letting Him Drive,” “Tim Talks to Some Black People,” “Tim and Friends Go to a Catholic Church and Mess Around with the Holy Water and Climb on the Pews,” etc. etc.), all of which contain at least one good joke, but then drag on for excruciating lengths of time. It was a brutal viewing experience, and a lot of people couldn’t take it. At least a third of the audience walked out of my screening—the most walk-outs I saw during the entire festival. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it's probably destined to be one of those films that everyone will see just to talk about it.
Nobody Walks (d. Ry Russo-Young)
Apparently, nobody is walking in this film because they're all too busy having sex with Olivia Thirlby. She comes to town, sporting that disfiguring haircut that every beautiful girl seems to get post-college, and tries to work on the sound design for her art film about bugs (oh brother!), but can’t get any work done because every guy she encounters wants to have her and she always goes for it because there are no consequences in this world. There’s even a vaguely unsettling nighttime scene where a six-year-old boy in a sleep t-shirt takes her by the hand and makes her walk him back to his bedroom. I wanted to like this film—mostly because I feel bad that John Krasinski has never been in a good movie—but, save for the beautiful cinematography, I hated everything from the characters names (Kolt and Martine being the worst offenders) to the film’s subtly offensive attitude about women and sex. Lena Dunham co-wrote the screenplay, but she left out the heart and humor that I enjoyed in Tiny Furniture.
Good documentaries:
Searching for Sugar Man(d. Malik Bendjelloul)
After releasing two do-nothing albums in the U.S. in the 1970s, enigmatic singer-songwriter Rodriguez went on to become bigger than Elvis in South Africa. This musical detective story about the search for the mysterious musician is fascinating, but mostly what I enjoyed about this worthy doc is Rodriguez's amazing music. If you're not familiar with it, think of a pleasing blend of Bob Dylan and Smokey Robinson—do yourself a favor and download his songs “Sugar Man” and “I Wonder” right now.
West of Memphis (d. Amy Berg)
Although I haven’t seen any of the Paradise Lost movies, this look at the West Memphis 3’s fight for freedom, produced by husband-and-wife team Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, seems comprehensive and zips along, despite its bulky two-hour-plus length. However, WM3-er Damien Echols and his wife Lorri Davis were also producers, so don’t expect a completely unbiased account. But Amy Berg’s adroit direction makes great use of the many interviews they scored with key players in the case.
Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (d. Matthew Akers)
This beautifully shot documentary offers a thorough history of the famous performance artist, as well as a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at her recent retrospective and much talked about new piece at MOMA last spring. I wish the filmmakers would have opted against including the scene where James Franco sat for the artist, but it was gratifying when an oblivious spectator asked him, “So, are you an actor?”
Finding North (d. Kristi Jacobson, Lori Silverbush)
This Tom Colicchio-produced documentary about hunger in America is in the slickly competent vein of Waiting for Superman and Food, Inc.--it’s well-researched and well-produced, but fails to leave a lasting impression.
Sundance It-Boy, Mark Webber:
Move over Michael Cera, there’s a new non-threatening boy in town! With three movies at Sundance this year, it looks like Snow Day's Mark Webber will be playing the guy you root for in every movie you want to see next year.
Save the Date (d. Michael Mohan)
Lizzy Caplan plays a commitment-phobe artist (her drawings in the movie were done by Jeffrey Brown) who hooks up with Mark Webber immediately after dumping Geoffrey Arend (y’know, that lucky guy who married Christina Hendricks). Alison Brie of Community plays her sister, who tries to be supportive, but is distracted by her upcoming wedding to Martin Starr. Since I adore everyone in this cast, it’s almost guaranteed that I would like this movie. But I must admit that Lizzy Caplan’s near-constant mugging and silly-talk did eventually wear thin.
For a Good Time, Call… (d. Jamie Travis)
Perpetual scene-stealer Ari Gaynor (remember her from when she was hilarious in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist?) finally gets a lead role in this playfully raunchy film about two former enemies, now roommates, who start a phone-sex operation out of their NYC apartment. Lauren Miller, who co-wrote the film and is Seth Rogen's wife, is fine as the prissy girl who (literally) finds her voice in phone sex, but it's Gaynor’s big, brassy performance that makes this lady-centric flick a real must-see. Mark Webber and his scruff play Gaynor’s love interest, a dude she met during an, ahem, business call. Aww!
The End of Love (d. Mark Webber)
This Mark Webber fellow has quite the work ethic. In addition to Save the Date and For a Good Time, Call…, he also wrote, directed and starred in The End of Love, one of my favorite movies at Sundance this year. It's a poignant, semi-autobiographical drama about an aspiring actor living in Hollywood and grappling with single fatherhood, and Webber has added a dose of realism to it by casting his own infant son as his co-star. The two year old’s performance is revelatory (no joke) and unlike any I have ever seen before, probably because he’s not really acting. The way the camera captures these secret moments between a father and son is truly affecting.
Rock stars are depressing:
This Must Be the Place (d. Paolo Sorrentino)
Predictably, a movie in which Sean Penn hunts for Nazis while wearing Robert Smith drag is a big old mess. Penn’s falsetto performance quickly becomes grating and nothing quite gels in this quirk-filled collection of missteps.
For Ellen (d. So Yong Kim)
Paul Dano’s aspiring rock star is of the unpopular variety, all silver rings and heavy metal posturing. While initially interesting, Dano’s character is given a thinly developed story about his feeble attempts to get to know his young daughter before he loses parental rights once his divorce is finalized. What follows is a litany of long takes where nothing much happens, including an excruciating scene where the below-average child actor very slowly picks out a new toy at a store. Trust me, it’s boring. This is the most disappointing movie I saw.
Valerie Temple is the Programming Manager at Bryn Mawr Film Institute. She has an M.F.A. in Film Production from Boston University and thinks she's very funny. (Her words.)
Welcome to BMFI's blog. We're a non-profit art house movie theater and film education center in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Check here for the scoop on upcoming films, education courses, and information about the renovation of our 1926 theater.
