I was fascinated with the idea of a film that took 12 years to make. Every year, director Richard Linklater would gather the cast together (Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arguette, Lorelei Linklater and Ellar Coltrane) and film for a few days. The resulting film shows us the natural progression of life, which is especially noticeable as we watch the children growing up before our very eyes. Ellar Coltrane is Mason, who we meet at age 7 and Lorelei Linklater is his slightly older sister. Their parents (Hawke and Arquette) are separated and it is obvious to us that the children would prefer their parents living together with them in the same house. We watch blended families come together and fall apart. We watch Mason Sr, the non-custodial parent, make valiant efforts to remain engaged in his children's lives. We watch Olivia trying to better her life through education and then make bad choices in relationships. It all happens very naturally. This is like real life on film. Mason and Samantha grow up, become teenagers, graduate from high school and go on to college. The film concludes as Mason is making new friends while moving into his college dorm room at UT Austin. I would have enjoyed watching him navigate his college years. I wasn't expecting or needing to be "blown away". In fact, what I found to be extraordinary about this film is its ordinariness. I would watch this again and hope I get to.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Wish I Was Here
(2014)
Might be worth seeing
27 July 2014
At the Guild 45th in Wallingford, I went to a matinée of Zach Braff's just released film Wish I Was Here. The making of this film was somewhat controversial because Braff used Kickstarter to raise funds for the film he co-wrote with his brother Adam Braff, so that he could make it exactly how he wanted to. While I enjoyed the film and found it to be touching and moving at times and very funny at other times, there was nothing about it that was brilliant. The cast includes Braff as Aidan Bloom, Kate Hudson as his supportive wife Sarah, Mandy Patinkin as his father, Josh Gad as his brother Noah, and Joey King and Pierce Gagnon as his daughter and son. I thought King was quite good in her role as an almost teen-aged girl.
I certainly don't regret seeing this film, but there really isn't much to recommend it either. But if you happen to be somewhere where it is playing and are just a bit curious, go ahead and see it. I don't think you will regret it.
I certainly don't regret seeing this film, but there really isn't much to recommend it either. But if you happen to be somewhere where it is playing and are just a bit curious, go ahead and see it. I don't think you will regret it.
Lucky Them
(2013)
If you get a chance, see this little gem!
14 July 2014
Lucky Them was filmed in and around Seattle, and is lacking the obligatory shots of the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and ferries crossing the sound. Usually those scenes are meant to make a film look like it's in Seattle, but really being filmed in Vancouver and I find that annoying.
Toni Collette plays Ellie, a music critic for the print magazine Stax. Her job keeps her out late at night visiting Seattle's music clubs, drinking too much and often leaving with a cute young musician. At one time she was in a long term relationship with alt-rock star Matthew Smith, who went missing 10 years ago and is presumed to have ended his life by jumping at Snoqualmie Falls. Many of his fans believe he is still alive and keep a website listing sightings.
Oliver Platt plays Giles, the editor in chief at Stax. He has the brilliant idea of a 10 year anniversary of the disappearance of Matthew Smith as a big feature story in Stax and gives the assignment to Ellie, who is not so keen on digging up old personal history. Giles makes it clear that her job is on the line if she doesn't produce.
Ellie is out covering the music scene one night when she runs into an old acquaintance Charlie, played by Thomas Haden Church. Charlie is a dot.com millionaire, with plenty of money and time. Recently he has been taking documentary film making classes at a local community college. He agrees to help her in the search for Matthew Smith if he can make a documentary film of her in the process. And so the fun begins! Everyone should have their own Thomas Haden Church sidekick!
The story is intriguing enough without being overly complicated to keep me interested in the outcome.Is Matthew Smith still alive? Will they find him? All I will say is the ending is brilliant and perfect!
Toni Collette plays Ellie, a music critic for the print magazine Stax. Her job keeps her out late at night visiting Seattle's music clubs, drinking too much and often leaving with a cute young musician. At one time she was in a long term relationship with alt-rock star Matthew Smith, who went missing 10 years ago and is presumed to have ended his life by jumping at Snoqualmie Falls. Many of his fans believe he is still alive and keep a website listing sightings.
Oliver Platt plays Giles, the editor in chief at Stax. He has the brilliant idea of a 10 year anniversary of the disappearance of Matthew Smith as a big feature story in Stax and gives the assignment to Ellie, who is not so keen on digging up old personal history. Giles makes it clear that her job is on the line if she doesn't produce.
Ellie is out covering the music scene one night when she runs into an old acquaintance Charlie, played by Thomas Haden Church. Charlie is a dot.com millionaire, with plenty of money and time. Recently he has been taking documentary film making classes at a local community college. He agrees to help her in the search for Matthew Smith if he can make a documentary film of her in the process. And so the fun begins! Everyone should have their own Thomas Haden Church sidekick!
The story is intriguing enough without being overly complicated to keep me interested in the outcome.Is Matthew Smith still alive? Will they find him? All I will say is the ending is brilliant and perfect!
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