This Ain't Your Mother's Jonah Hill

Finally Lehigh Valley - you got with the program and are showing Cyrus! I waited four LONG weeks. I mean seriously, Marmaduke's cute and all, but can we get some real films in our theaters? Ok, enough bitching. So I finally saw Cyrus and I have to say, it was worth the wait.

Cyrus starts as an intelligent, very well acted comedy. Let me just say John C. Reilly is delightful. He plays that vulnerable, kind of pathetic but completely lovable character almost too well (think Chicago and The Good Girl, forget Talledaga Nights). He's lonely and just the right amount of desperate. It appears his only friend is his ex-wife and she is about to get remarried. Just when life could not get any worse, in comes Marisa Tomei as Molly. For whatever reason, she falls for the poor schlep. But surprisingly, this strange couple works really well.

Although their relationship moves a bit fast for my taste (but then again, they do only have 92 minutes), all is well in the world of John and Molly. Then - dun, dun, dun....John finds out Molly has a son. And not just a son, an adult son who still lives at home. I have to say I was so happy to see Jonah Hill in a role like this. I mean, I do find him funny, but this made him 3-dimensional for me.

So, as you can tell from the trailer, there is conflict between John and Cyrus. Each one is vying for the attention of Molly. But what the trailer doesn't show are all the emotions wrapped around this story. It's clear Cyrus was raised by Molly only and sadly, she is the only person in his life. Despite the fact that he is in his 20s, mom is all he has. At first the exchanges between John and Cyrus are uber funny (yes, I just used the word "uber"). And you may think, "Woh, this mom and son are a little too close". But then you feel truly sorry for Cyrus. Here he is, used to having his one and only friend available anytime throughout his entire life. Then all of a sudden here comes this threatening force. Of course he's going to act out. As I watched the film, I found my heart breaking for these people. Cyrus is losing the only person he has, John finally fell in love again, but with too many complications and Molly is stuck choosing between the two. Life is rough.

I commend Jonah Hill for bringing Cyrus's fear and vulnerability to the surface. And John C. Reilly delivers as usual, with his brutal honesty and his "what you see is what you get" persona.

So, is it three's company or three's a crowd? I strongly suggest turning off that horrible reality TV show, getting in your car, getting some good old artery clogging, buttery popcorn and losing yourself in a truly awesome film!

Shutter Island? Eh, more like This Just Isn't Working Island.

When I first heard about Shutter Island, I was pretty stoked. I like Scorsese and Ben Kingsley and the setting is a mental institution? That's my shit! (not meaning I'd like to live there, but psych major - hello!) Then I read a review which stated Shutter Island was infact a character study rather than an action dependent film. Oh, that's awesome! Pretty much as soon as it was released, everyone had an opinion and none of them were positive. Oh, it sucked, the ending was such a disappointment, blah, blah, blah. At that point I was a bit torn as to whether or not I would give it a shot.

So, the other night I ordered it on-demand, right from the comfort of my own home (man, that service just promotes laziness). Since it took me so long to finally see it, I already knew there was going to be some "surprise" ending. So as the film is about 1.5 minutes in (that's not precise, but a reasonable guesstimation) my mind was all over the place. What could it be? My first thought? The answer is - he's really a patient. Cha-ching! Alex, what do I win?

I thought the story was pretty decent. It was indeed a character study. Basically we're "unknowingly" inside Leo's mind the entire time (yes, I feel I can call him Leo despite the fact we've never met). But this just didn't feel right. I felt like the film was confused. I've seen similar subjects explored in indie films like Spider and The Machinist, two amazing films most people never even heard of. But compared to Shutter Island, those films felt so much more authentic. They were real, raw and stripped down. They didn't contain some elaborate scheme I just can't see happening in the real world (if any mental institution actually went to the lengths they did, they're the sick ones). It just didn't work for me. For a true character study, I don't see the need for all the hoopla. Maybe it's the "film elitist" in me, but I felt like Shutter Island was a big budget, big actor film trying to stuff itself inside an indie film casing.

So, in the end, will I be upset when that $4.99 charge shows up on my cable bill? Nah, not really, at least it didn't go towards crack.

Go Get Schooled

I was just saying how I think Carey Mulligan is so cute and I wish I could rock a pixie cut like hers (totally girlie, I know). I realize I am so completely late, but I finally had the pleasure of seeing her in An Education. I have to agree with that Academy Award nomination. She was quite brilliant!

The scene is 1960s London. I first have to ask, why do those damn Brits sound so proper regardless of what they're saying? Compared to them I feel like I'm speaking pig-latin. Anyway, back to the film...Jenny, a girl of 16, is living the life she is "supposed to". She is extremely bright and hopefully on her way to Oxford. And then-Shazam!-Peter Saarsgard, as David, comes riding along to save Jenny from her miserably dull shell of an existence. If you put aside all his shadiness, he truly opens up an entirely new world to Jenny. She views great works of art, listens to jazz, drinks champagne and even visits Paris. Oh, one important fact-David is twice her age. Gross? You be the judge. (side-bar...I've loved Peter Saarsgard for quite some time now and believe he is one of our great but highly underrated contemporary actors)

So you can probably guess the dilemma here. Does Jenny pursue her now-outdated dream of attending Oxford or does she ride off into the seemingly perfect sunset with David? Well, I won't be that big, bold, red-lettered "spoiler alert", but I will say her conflict is a real one. And maybe it's because of that Philosophy of Woman class I took at my all women's college, but to me, her predicament is just seeping in the classic women's liberation struggle.

At first I felt like Jenny was damned no matter what she chose. On the one hand, she gets to live as a free-thinking lover of the arts, but in reality, she's still just some man's wife. Then on the other hand, she can excel in Academia, but even with that illustrious Oxford degree, will she just be playing the part of the dutiful woman? But then I realize Jenny is a smart girl. I thought about her transformation throughout the film and I felt confident, knowing she would not end up a statistic.

So, which road does Jenny travel down? Go get the DVD and find out!

Will the real Ben Stiller please stand up?

Be honest. If asked to ponder the career of Ben Stiller, what would come to mind? Night at the Museum that wasn't bad enough the first time, they had to make a sequel? Or maybe the highly anticipated third installment of Meet the Parents (please insert sarcasm). So just when you thought you would no longer waste time or money on a Ben Stiller flick, along comes Greenberg. Sure, his role in The Royal Tenenbaums was note-worthy but Greenberg has awakened in me a new found respect for Mr. Stiller.

Maybe it's the psychology nerd in me, but I felt Roger Greenberg's pain. I wanted to reach into the screen, grab him and have him talk to me for 50-55 minutes once per week for a ridiculous fee. He is the modern-day, much more bearable version of the narcissistic, misanthropic Woody Allen character. Living with regret and fear, he is his own worst enemy. And now after time in a mental hospital, he gets to house sit for his brother in sunny Los Angeles. Cue Greta Gerwig as Florence. Her brutally honest confidence mixed with her tangible insecurity makes her lovable.

Greenberg and Florence are broken beings. Florence means well, but is a bit too eager and just can't seem to get it right. And Greenberg is a man you probably would not want for a friend. But Gerwig and Stiller not only make these characters work, they make you keep watching and wanting more. Along with the impressive performances of Gerwig and Stiller, Rhys Ifans hits the nail on the head by becoming a character who leaves a place in your heart.

Overall, Greenberg is definitely worth the $10 (depending on where you live) of your hard-earned money and 147 minutes of your time. If you don't believe me, go see for yourself.

To blog or not to blog

So, why a blog? Well, with a bit of encouragement from a friend, I decided to give it a shot. Alright, honestly, she first had to explain what a blog is (yes, I know it's 2010 and no, I haven't been frozen in time).

I have been called an indie film snob (at least it wasn't a snob in general) and a film nerd (maybe there's some nerd in me - okay, a lot), but what I consider myself is an absolute lover of the independent film. American, international - it makes no difference to me. As a resident of the Lehigh Valley, PA, I love seeing films at the Civic Theatre of Allentown. Unfortunately, this geographic region lacks in exposure of many indie films, but the Civic Theatre is the go-to place for all of us indie film lovers.

So why not share my unsolicited thoughts about my experiences as they pertain to independent films. If nothing else, I hope to give a little recognition to those films which make me not only think, but also feel. So please turn your cell phone off and enjoy the show.