directed by Marc Webb
In romantic comedies and fiction it's often the woman who wants a long term exclusive relationship leading to marriage while it's the man who is intent on keeping his options open as long as humanly possible. This stereotype is enjoyed and promulgated by men and women for different reasons at different times. Both genders can seek out long-term and short-term relationships. In real life there are women who want to play the field for a while and men who walk around with their heart on their sleeve and fall in love quickly and permanently. We are all equally capable of such feelings. Much blues music is after all, a man singing about all the wonderful things he did for the love of his life and how she did him wrong. What happens when it's the man who's the incurable romantic and the woman who's the cynical realist who wants to keep her relationships casual? What if it's the man who overlooks red flags and thinks that he can change a woman? (500) Days of Summer is perhaps a romantic comedy but more of a coming of age story about love. Love is something which can't be bought, sold, required or demanded. It's a choice, not an obligation. You can't guilt trip someone into loving you. No matter how much you might love someone, you can't have a relationship with them if they don't feel the same way about you. Unusually the story is told from the man's pov. This is not Judd Apatow lowbrow material though. (500) Days of Summer is influenced by a true story. The film features the standard disclaimer that nothing is based on actual persons living or dead and that any resemblance is purely coincidental. However at the end of the boilerplate there is a line that reads
"Especially you, Jenny Beckman. B****!."
The two leads, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have great chemistry together. Deschanel's comic timing is perfect; her large eyed deadpan stare and staccato delivery is used to great impact.
Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a man who trained as an architect but upon entry into the workplace couldn't find employment in his field. So he has been working as a greeting card writer in a Los Angeles firm for longer than he likes. It's not a job he enjoys very much but it pays the bills.
When Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) joins Tom's workplace as an administrative assistant, despite the fact that she is described by the film's narrator as average looking, Tom is immediately smitten and ineptly but persistently seeks her attention. When she finally notices him, completely by accident, Tom and Summer discover that they have similar tastes in music, movies, and humor. They start a relationship. Or at least Tom does. As Summer calmly explains to him she doesn't really believe in relationships. She doesn't want a boyfriend. She doesn't want to get married. She just wants Tom as a friend, albeit one with certain benefits. Tom thinks he can live with that and even if he can't he's certainly not going to kick a naked and willing Summer out of his bed. The film's funniest scene is the morning after they have made love for the first time. A giddy dancing Tom gives fist bumps, daps, high fives and hugs to strangers as he leads a downtown marching band parade choreographed to Hall and Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True". Fountains jet as he walks by. Animated birds sing to him and sit on his hand. At work he is a sudden source of happiness and inspiration to those around him.
(500) Days of Summer is easily one of the best films I've seen in a long time. The film makes judicious use of animation to express feelings. The music (mostly indie and some pop) fits the movie like a glove. The film's a new favorite. It shows you a vision of Los Angeles you may not have known existed. I ran across this film while looking for something else and I'm very happy I watched it. If you haven't seen this one please do yourself a favor and check it out. Whether you are a gooey romantic sap or a hardboiled cynic this film has something to say to you.
The girl don't love you boy and there's nothing you can do -"Things Don't Work Out Right"-Hound Dog Taylor
The Woman in Black
directed by James Watkins
This film opens up with a seriously weird image of three young girls who see something in the window of their second story bedroom. They get up from their play, open the window and plunge to their deaths. You hear the screams of their parents but do not see them. The whole thing is spooky. A parent should never have to bury their child.Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is a young British lawyer in turn of century London. He is a widower with a young son. He's still grieving for his wife's death and as a result his work is suffering. His boss is not running a charity ward and lets Kipps know, dead wife or not, either he gets with the program or he finds another place to work. To this end he gives Kipps what he thinks of as an easy assignment-close out the estate of one Alice Drablow, who owned a country manor known as Eel March house. Kipps is to go there, get the work done on time and under budget and return.
Kipps goes there and like any good horror film nobody wants to talk about the house. The local business contact, Mr. Jerome (Tim McMullen) tries to send Kipps back to London but Kipps isn't having it. He's been told that the bulk of the estate paperwork is in Eel Marsh house and that's where he intends to go. He's intent on this. You would be too if your boss told you to get something done by Friday or don't bother coming in on Monday. Despite unfriendliness from most of the locals, one man Samuel Daily (Ciarin Hinds) and his wife Elizabeth (Janet McTeer) let Kipps stay at their house for a while. Kipps learns that they had a son who died mysteriously and Elizabeth has gone over the deep end-claiming to channel their dead son. The next morning Kipps gets a reluctant but mercenary coachman to take him out to Eel Marsh house where he will stay the night. The creep factor is turned up dramatically as he starts hearing voices and noises. He sees strange things out of the corner of his eye. Objects are not where he left them. Finally he sees a ghostly woman in a black dress. Or maybe he doesn't. Supposedly seeing the Woman in Black means that a child will die soon.
So why didn't I love this film? Hard to say. Maybe it's because when I think of Hammer Films I think of cleavage and technicolor and this film had neither. Even putting those aside the film could have done with a female lead. As I am not really a Radcliffe fan I found it hard to maintain interest. I wasn't too crazy about the ending either. All in all it sort of reminded me of a Supernatural episode, but not in a good way. This film definitely could have been improved by the Winchester Brothers showing up, kicking ghost a$$, dropping a few clever one liners and driving off into the night. Again, though that's just my opinion. YMMV. As it turns out James Watkins was also the director of the much superior modern horror/thriller film Eden Lake, which is definitely worth checking out, though it's quite different from his work here.
TRAILER
Breaking Bad (Season One)
Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is an Albuquerque, New Mexico high school chemistry teacher with problems. Walter's a real nebbish. He has terminal lung cancer. Even before he discovered he's not long for the world he was going through a mid life (now end of life) crisis. He turns to cooking meth not only to prove to himself that he can be more successful than he's been but also to make money for his chemotherapy and leave wealth for his family after he's gone. It is odd to see someone I mostly remember from Malcolm in the Middle in this role but that's why they call it "acting", right? And Cranston is a good actor.
Walter is interested in/bullied into going along on a drug raid by his alpha-male, not well read but smarter than he looks brother-in-law, Hank (Dean Norris) who is a DEA agent. While in the car he sees one of his former high school students, Jesse (Aaron Paul), escape detection and arrest. As Jesse's chemist is arrested and later killed he's in need of a new meth cook. And Walter is ready to walk on the wild side.
Season 1 Trailer
