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Successful Alcoholics (2010)
A funny and thought provoking short film
TJ Miller and Liz Caplan are both great in this funny and honest portrait of addiction.
This film starts off with Drake and Lindsay having a good time with their drinking. They seem happy, even though to the outside world, getting blackout drunk on a Tuesday night would seem unusual.
Their friends try to help them, but they both seem contempt in their life of heavy drinking.
This all comes to a halt when the film takes a turn. Lindsay experiences major withdrawals on the road and decides she needs to turn her life around, leaving Drake alone on his self destructive path.
This is one of the first films I've seen to acknowledge the two sides of drinking,the fun side and the dark side. And it balances the two well in a very un preachy way with great acting.
A funny and heartfelt short film
9 out of ten stars
Dirty Filthy Love (2004)
Great acting, poignant film
Michael Sheen shines as an OCD/Tourette's syndrome afflicted architect in "Dirty Filthy Love". Adrian Shergold has great command of intricate characters who's reactions to Mark's (Sheen) condition is realistic. The sadness of the condition is pointed out through various people's lack of understanding of mental illness in the film and the different options when it comes to treatment. Great acting on Sheen's part to be able to portray a man who has lost everything through deteriorating mental health. The ray of hope at the end happens when Mark is able to find a person who has similar problems. The two are willing to help each other through their struggles. A very poignant, and well written film. 8 out of ten stars
Brainscan (1994)
A classic B movie
Edward Furlong stars as Michael in "Brainscan". Michael is what you would call a "gamer" in today's terms. He finds out about a new video game called "Brainscan" from a friend and orders a copy. The game transports him into the P.O.V of a killer. He then finds out the murder was real. This is a well made B movie, 90's up and down. It has a great atmosphere and characters and is endlessly entertaining. Director John Flynn works well with Furlong to create a tension driven morality tail. T. Ryder Smith is also great here. An over the top performance, yes. But it works in all levels here. He is both funny, likable and scary all at the same time. This reminds me of "Twilight Zone" and similar shows that take you into a distorted reality. Loved this film. 7 out of ten stars
Afterschool (2008)
An eerie and disturbing look at child psychology and underage drug use
Antonio Campos delivers a slow and hypnotically paced film that keeps it's audience on edge with just a few disturbing scenes that leave the viewer to speculate rather than to spell it all out. The film deals with Robert, a school kid who's camera pics up the death of two school girls, and the events around the deaths. Robert seems to be just a shy kid at first, a regular teen. But there's soon revealed to be a darker side to him and a rather disassociated psych. In this generation of dissociation through images, these are themes myself and my own generation are dealing with today. There is hope in the chaos that the film puts forth and some good natured characters all dealing with guilt surrounding the death of the two girls. But there is an eye opening eeriness to the detachment and the falseness of some people in these situations. 8 out of ten stars
Nerve (2011)
Realistic, but a little forced and glum
J.R. Sawyers' Nerve is a story about a socially phobic man who has to struggle to overcome his fears. Made on a shoe string budget the relatively unknown actors Tyler Langdon and Laura Alexandra Ramos turn in decent performances, helped by the witty dialog. Yet, I feel if this was made for bigger bucks, it may have turned into something greater. As it is, it's an interesting little indie film with a rather realistic take on mental illness and the way society views people afflicted with it. Good ideas but shaky execution. At times, the acting seems a little unconvincing and forced and I can't help but feel as if it's poking more fun at mental illness and social anxiety in a much more nasty way then it really intends. 4 out of 10 stars
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Endlessly cheesy and endlessly entertaining.
Independence Day: Resurgence is an over the top B movie with a big budget. It nevertheless embraces it's campy nature much like the first did. The absence of Will Smith leaves something to be desired and some of the quips don't quite land in moments. Even though Roland Emmerich has never been an actors director, I definitely recall the first one having much better acting and dialog. There are a few phoned in performances here. One with actor Jeff Goldblum going into "Lost World" territory having to fill the shoes of the absent leading man, this time Will Smith. All this being said I was not board in the movie and if you're willing to suspend logic, then you will find yourself having a good time. The effects are great and on par with the first. I do however miss those models and practical effects a little bit. The movie looks a lot more sleek and darker at times, which works in some parts but looses the look and feel of the first often. All in all, I cant help but feel this was a 90's nostalgia cash grab with some entertaining sequences and effects. It could have been a lot better, but it feels harmless and fun at the same time 5 stars out of ten
Rushmore (1998)
A quirky and inventive comedy
Wes Anderson's "Rushmore" is a a fun comedy with heart at the center. Co-written by Owen Wilson and staring Jason Schwartzman, the trio collaborates great and all seem to be coming from a similar frame of mind.
Bill Murray and Olivia Williams are also both outstanding in supporting roles. The dialog is witty and at times very true to life.
This fun, coming of age story about a preppy kid dealing with the trials and tribulations of adolescence is a must see for the indie film lover.
eight out of ten stars
These Final Hours (2013)
A dark, but ultimately uplifting tale of redemption, in the face of inevitable destruction
In "These Final Hours" Nathan Phillips plays James. A man who doesn't want to face the impending doom of the apocalypses. As the final hours approach, he has the chance to redeem his life and make things right once and for all. The film is well directed by Zak Hilditch and the cast does a stand up job all around. These types of films don't get a lot of funding in Australia, so it's good to see a genre piece like this come out of the local scene. It does have it's flaws in it's pacing at times, but the acting really draws you in and there is an overwhelming sense of dread and approaching doom. The cinematography by Bonnie Elliott is beautiful to behold. It's as if the sun is extremely close to the earth like an eternal summer evening. The themes tackled are quite simple and beautiful, which is the real shinning moment for the film. It's really asking not, "where you will be when the world ends" but "where would you rather be?" eight out of ten stars.
Touched with Fire (2015)
A thoughtful look at bi-polar and creativity
Katie Holmes plays a manic depressive poet named Carla who meets Marco, played by Luke Kirby, in a psychiatric hospital. Both suffering from Bipolar disorder they find a connection in poetry and alien conspiracy in their manic states. At it's center the film looks at the relationship between mania and creativity and the pros and cons of the mental illness, bipolar disorder. The strength of the film lay in it's characters and direction. Writer/director Paul Dalio creates two characters who are relatable in their humanity, even if you don't suffer from mental illness. Luke Kirby's performance is solid as well as supporting actors Christine Lahti and Griffin Dunne. Unfortunately, some faults lay in star Katie Holmes, as much as she seems to be really trying, she comes across as a little unbelievable at moments although she does perform passably. The pace is a little crooked at times but the on screen dynamic between the two stars really pulls the viewer in and lets us understand the way they see the world. six and a half stars.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
A Surrealistic, Charming Indie Film
Writer/director/actress Miranda July does a wonderful job of balancing the quirky nature of these characters with some of the darker turns the plot takes. What really makes the film is the performances all round, John Hawkes is perfectly cast as a disillusioned farther and shoe store worker.
The film works as a character study of both adult and adolescent relationships, how we relate to each other as human beings and how we communicate. At the same time the film doesn't seem to take place in a realistic world, more of an idealized one or slightly above reality where characters are free to be themselves without much consequence.
All in all Miranda July's film will appeal to the true film lover and the lover of quirky independent flicks. This is a well written, directed and acted film with a lot of substance seven out of ten stars
People Places Things (2015)
A funny, heartfelt comedy/drama
Jemaine Clement turns in a great performance as Will Henry, a comic book artist and teacher in People Places Things. The story revolves around his struggle to maintain his family life and be a stable parent to his two young daughters when a split causes imbalance. Jemaine Clement is definitely the driving force here and writer/director James C. Strouse creates a very realistic, yet entertaining portrait of life. Clement's performance is star turning and we should be expecting to see him as a leading man much more often, he proves not only his acting ability and range, but also that he can keep up his trademark quirky comedy style at the same time. The film provides a funny, heartfelt and realistic portrait of family life. Eight out of ten stars.