Her husband picks up the slack as a stay at home dad (Messina) which puts pressure on their relationship. Their rift and subsequent separation leads Alex into a downward spiral as she tries to balance her family and work life, a new romance, and a flighty sister who arrives to stir up the action. The actress who plays the sister, Katie Nehra, actually co-wrote the screenplay for the film along with Jessica Goldberg and Justin Shilton.
Key touchstone moments in Spinney's life make up the meat of the film, including him meeting his future wife, a trip to China in the eighties, his tempestuous relationship with a director, and his commitment to excellence throughout his career. Spinney is a very interesting figure in the world of children's entertainment, though there aren't many faults seen throughout the film.
Comparing their films wouldn’t make much sense, because there is no clear winner when it comes to who was the greater visionary, and who came out on top in the next hundred or so years of study. What I want to talk about instead is the comparison between each when it comes to their more problematic and offensive films, which have not aged well in the realms of film history.
While not every point is completely fleshed out throughout the film, each case study serves the overall thread of the film, which is to show that teen films exist because of a societal need. Teenagers are the most disregarded, misunderstood group in our society. They themselves can't fully explain, or understand the range of emotions that they go through.
Though Hunt is an admirable professional, she's green when it comes to writing and directing. Her writing, particularly, is trying to prod at a feeling that she simply hasn’t captured. The tired stereotype of the overwrought professional woman is boring and here it's almost nonsensical. The world of writing has yielded some interesting characters in the past, but Hunt's over analytical, pretentious publishing exec never nears the levels of empathetic response that she believes she deserves.
These flashbacks center around Mia’s on-again-off-again relationship with boyfriend Adam (Blackley), which pushes the film more towards relationship drama than supernatural drama. Though much of what makes this a tearjerker lies in Mia's ties to her family (and is the main conflict within the film) the action keeps coming back to this relationship.
This is but one reason that the film has no tension throughout. We’re supposed to fear Bulger, but that is never earned throughout the course of the film. This could have been achieved by showing that Bulger’s decisions are tied to his emotions, making his actions that much more unsure. A superior film, like “Goodfellas,” achieved this by having Tommy (Pesci) ask why he is funny to a fellow Mob member, and it slowly devolves into a standoff.
Between the ten or so people interviewed, it becomes clear that they see hotlines as a way to be open about yourself, in a time where the internet lets you be anything. The people on the other end of these calls are not alter egos who are there to listen, end the call, and go about their lives, but listeners who are impacted by everyday human interaction.
"Odd Thomas" isn't an odd choice for adaptation. It's quirky, adventurous, popular, and relies on the supernatural. It would have been better utilized if not in an indie setting, best exemplified by the less than perfect effects. Some are really spot on, but there's a lot of computer generated stuff that looks ugly and half-assed. The plot is also rather meager, as it uses the same twist twice in the film, to a lesser effect the second time.
This was an interesting film in terms of the chemistry between Russell and her leading men. Right after getting to the manor she meets and falls for a servant of the resort (McKenzie) who she messes around with while she is supposed to be engaged in other activities, like knitting and horseback riding. Halfway through the film I was unimpressed by this quick plot point, since it seemed a much better idea for them to slowly fall in love, build tension, and make the romance that much more intriguing.
Miles Teller has blown up lately, starring in films like the new "Fantastic Four," and "Divergent" film series. The main reason he keeps getting roles is that he can play the offensive, assured smart ass pretty well.
Though she seems to be a shut-in she has a childhood friend (played by Linda Cardellini) who is always on her side and follows her on her madcap adventures. Alice Klieg (Wiig) is a really interesting character who is dominated most by anxiety, shame, and regret, and we as the audience want to know how she ended up where she has.
On the other side of the spectrum is one of the biggest music documentaries of the last twenty years: “Madonna: Truth or Dare.” Madonna was at her peak in popularity, already boasted as an icon in many ways. She was provocative, smart, edgy, and lacked the humility of any America’s sweetheart
Director Thomas McCarthy has made some honorable mentions in the past, including "The Station Agent," and "Win Win." That prowess actually shows in the look and feel of the film. It's shot well, the score is great, the mechanics of the premise rely on Jewish folklore and mythology.
A month or so ago I personally went off sugar for ten days, a challenge that the film advocates for in the end credits. Almost everything that I tried to eat had some kind of sugar, including ketchup, salad dressing, and bread.
The film follows four vampire roommates in Wellington, NZ who fight about everything from dirty dishes to orgies of bloodlust. Each character has a rich backstory moored in both the traditional ideals of vampirism in the Western canon, and strange idiosyncrasies that make them lovable and ridiculous
Though a lot of this film is handled tactfully, and the information is factually correct, it's a very amateurish effort. Between the strange montages, the scenes of his sister reflected in storefront windows, and the weird choices in music.
The film advocates for women to all get along, the class structure of high school being demolished, and everyone feeling beautiful about themselves. On the flip side it features unrealistic dialogue, unrelatable characters that have strange motives, and it's really not all that funny.
In Esco's defense the cause she is advocating for is worth the buzz surrounding this film. Women should have just as much freedom to go topless as men, whose bare nipples can be exposed in all 50 states, without prosecution
