Change Your Image
tlgreen25
Reviews
Thumbsucker (2005)
What is normal, anyhow?
Thumbsucker was a wonderful movie with great characters, great actors, and a suburb plot. The main character, Justin, is a teenager that continues to suck his thumb as a way to comfort himself as he navigates typical teenage problems - insecurity, low self-esteem, and trying to find acceptance and a sense of self. But the movie goes further - Justin's parents are simultaneously dealing with similar issues that have followed them into their adult lives. Justin's father was once a candidate to play pro football, and his mother is a nurse that has become obsessed with a TV star. The movie creates a message of trying to define normalcy - aren't we all a little weird? What really is normal? Is being a little strange really the problem - or does the problem lie in trying to live as someone that is outside of what society would consider normal? If you like movies about self-exploration, this movie is for you.
Love, Ludlow (2005)
Quirky in a good way
The characters in this movie were very quirky - but in a good way. Too often in movies characters are over- or under-developed, but the plot of this movie allows the viewer all of the right pieces of each persona to understand underlying issues that the movie does not have time explain. I really enjoyed the pace, setting, and jokes in this movie. It is a funny movie for people that don't care for the typical Adam Sandler-type movies out there, with the added bonus of a coming-of-age story to follow. Myra's character is truly funny as she spits out gruff responses to people she encounters (that frankly, deserve her quips). If you enjoy a good love story that isn't cookie-cutter perfect (I mean, most of us have a "Ludlow" in our lives) then this movie is for you.
Somersault (2004)
Very realistic
Beyond the aesthetically beautiful nature of this movie lies a story that is compelling in its realistic portrayal of young love and loneliness. The story moves along slowly, but I felt that this only added to the credibility of the plot, as most life situations aren't jam-packed with intense drama. The characters are flawed and complex - the main character Heidi is at once naive and youthful, and grown-up and savvy. The story details are slowly inserted, sometimes just through imagery - leaving the viewer to assume much of the back story - the movie does not feel contrived because you aren't being told every small detail and how the director wants you to judge each character. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone that enjoys artistic camera angles, realistic characters and situations, and doesn't mind slowing down to enjoy a good story.