And Now for Your Viewing Displeasure...5 Films That Are Not So Good
Film 340
"Generation Um"
starring: Keanu Reeves, Sarita Choudhury, Bojana Novakovic, Adelaide Clemens
written and directed by: Mark Mann
What is so appealing about videotaping/recording everyday life? Is it an escape from reality or an attempt to hide behind a camera in order to avoid reality? And who's great idea was it to put Keanu Reeves in the lead role as the inarticulate, pondering male figure who puts others in front of the camera? He is definitely the wrong choice for such a crappy role.
With "Generation Um" Reeves plays John, who has "intriguing" conversations with several people in and around Lower East Side in Manhattan as he walks around and stops at various places like a bakery where he nibbles at a cupcake. John then comes upon a performance art group in a park and he decides to steal the camcorder that was set down by one of the artists. This prompts a foot chase through the streets and subway, until finally John is back home.
All the while, John has been spending time with two young escorts (who could simply pass as college students) whom he somehow befriended right at the beginning of the film, as we are introduced to the trio in John's car as he drops them off at their apartment. Mia (Adelaide Clemens) and Violet (Bojana Novakovic) are the two escorts who basically spend the entire film getting drunk, high, and/or just simply losing their shit about anything. When John comes home with the camcorder, the director Mark Mann spends a lot of unnecessary time in their apartment going from room to room as Mia and Violet act spaced out, going from snorting coke together to having random sexual encounters (which for the most part involve oral sex), and then passing out in the panties. I guess the director knew what he was doing by casting a couple of low-end actresses who wouldn't mind spending almost the entire film making bad choices and walking around in the panties. I don't see how these scenes are actually worthy of our attention and carry out the story, even though, the entire set-up can lend itself to the overall theme of alienation.
These three characters spend a lot of time talking to each other about nothing at all, until the last third of the film, when John's quizzical nature leads Mia and Violet to open up about their past lives (finally, maybe we get some answers as to why these two girls chose to become escorts) and how it relates to their present sexuality and basic disregard for emotional attachment involved in sex. It's all a lot less profound than it is more Psych 101, which leads the viewer to think: "What's the point?" and "Who cares?" That's how I felt the entire time I watched this film with disinterest.
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Film 341
"Last Night"
starring: Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, Guillaume Canet
written and directed by: Massy Tadjedin
I couldn't help thinking that "Last Night" was a much nicer, tamer version of a much better, deeper film "Closer" where the characters were generally a lot meaner and nastier to each other. That being said, "Last Night" is still an enjoyable film.
The entire film is focused on a married couple, Joanna (Keira Knightley) and Michael (Sam Worthington) who are happily together, but at the beginning of the film a discreet flirtation that Joanna eyes between Michael and a co-worker, Laura (played by Eva Mendes, with her sultry eyes and lips would make a lot of women jealous and envious) at a party. This leads to a heated fight between the married couple, and it just so happens to be right before Michael is set to leave on a business trip with Laura in Philadelphia. Joanna is convinced that Michael finds Laura attractive and that he wants to sleep with her. Michael seems to convince his wife that she's simply being paranoid and so then Michael departs. Soon after, for whatever reason, Joanna runs into Alex (Guillaume Canet), who happened to be a rendez vous sexual partner she had in Paris before she and Michael got married. Why and how does he just happen to be in New York? He is obviously just a serendipitous encounter that is meant to be a vehicle to move the plot forward and his presence doesn't require you to think "why."
What separates this film from "Closer" is that the first-time writer/director focuses more of the tension on the idea of "will they or won't they?" between both parties: Michael and Laura (who even go swimming together and have deeper conversations about Laura's boyfriend who died) and Joanna and Alex (who go from a business dinner with Alex's associates to walking Joanna's friend's dog and getting locked out to spending the night in a dreamy loft hugging and talking). The director cuts back and forth between the married couples different exploits, which, like I said, is mostly just conversations about why they aren't having sex with their complementary ready-and-willing sexual partners.
The film explores forbidden intimacies in completely non-intimate or erotic spaces (like a business hotel, which seems so cliche or a trendy New York loft), while also perhaps being an extreme case of virtual "ball blues," especially for Alex, who is fooled around with by the seductive Keira Knightley, who ultimately chooses not to cheat on her husband (I mean, she even left her husband a note in his suitcase apologizing about their fight).
I enjoyed this slow-building film, but could have done with less talking and more action, even though I believe that was actually the point of the film. I've seen films better explore the "will they or won't they" plot with much more interesting dialogue along the way.
I still love Keira Knightley and find her unbelievably sexy.
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Film 342
"Camillle"
starring: James Franco, Sienna Miller, David Carradine
I read an article, I think on Buzzfeed, a while back that put up a list of some of the worst rom-dramedies featured on Netflix and this film happened to be on that list, so I was intrigued enough to put it on my list of movies to check out for this project. And let me tell you something, it certainly does not disappoint as being a gigantic disappointment. Sienna Miller is the British, poor man's version of Naomi Watts (strictly in appearance and not at all based on acting ability, because Watts is a far better actress). And poor James Franco. He seems to make far more terrible choices than good ones when it comes to which films he should star in.
The plot is just a completely ridiculous story that I cannot believe was greenlit. Camille (Miller) has always been in love with a less than reputable Silas (Franco), probably since she was six years old (as her uncle, a local sheriff, comments at one point). Silas is somewhat forced into a marriage with Camille in order to avoid jail time or get his sentence suspended. Sienna Miller adopts a terrible Southern accent for her role and Franco continues to play the aloof rebel (although he seems less stoned here than his other, more recent films).
They are the typical bickering couple as soon as they get (forcefully) married and then hit the road on Silas' motorcycle to head to Niagara Falls (a place that Camille has been dying, pun intended, as you'll see, to go to because it epitomizes love to her, for some reason). The kicker here- SPOILER ALERT- is that Camille dies in an accident briefly into their road trip, and so then the script has them together weathering one crazy, symbol-rich encounter on the road after another (the most significant being one with David Carradine- really?). Poor Camille gives and gives to Silas, pleading for a love he was blackmailed to provide, and he retreats further and further, his resentment impossible for him to suppress. Impossible, that is, until—spoilers herein—Camille dies, from an accident triggered, to an extent, by his disgust, revealing to Silas what he's been ignoring all along: reliable, convenient true love. Silas, head now presumably clear, sets forth to get Camille to Niagara Falls, the destination of their honeymoon, so she can fade to the greener pastures in proper peace.
From past movie experience I know that Sienna Miller is a gifted actress and she plunges into her naïve, cutie-pie of a part with a conviction that's authentically brave considering the circumstances. Franco's role is almost literally unplayable, and he has the disadvantage of one of those most infuriating of parts: the character the filmmakers clearly pull for that the audiences detest (Silas doesn't earn what he half-heartedly recognizes at the end of the picture). Camille is ultimately a (disgusting) fantasy of the yielding beautiful woman who defines herself solely through the anything-but-ambitious loser she somehow loves, with that love finally reciprocated through death. Domestic abuse has never been so soul-affirming.
This is a terrible road trip adventure with nothing to pay off the viewer, even with the beautiful view of Niagara Falls at the end.
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Film 343
"Fling"
starring: Brandon Routh, Steve Sandvoss, Courtney Ford, Shoshana Bush, Nick Wechsler, Ellen Hollman
written and directed by: John Stewart Muller
Perhaps the best thing about "Fling" is that I recognized the scenery, because the film was shot in Kansas City, MO- one of my favorite places that I found while on my road trip a few years ago, and in fact, a place I'm dying to go back to someday soon.
It's a would-be romantic and would-be sexy sex dramedy about really annoying, self-centered twentysomethings who are simply interested in the sexual encounters that they think could not ever help define them. They simply think they know everything about themselves and the world; could never be wrong or hurt, either. But, then again, isn't that how everyone thinks when they are in their 20s?
This story focuses on a couple, Mason (Sandvoss) and Sam (Ford), who are in an open relationship. In fact, it's so open that they seem to get off on telling each other about their different sexual escapades. Well, kudos to them (and people like them, in real life) because I could never ever be able to do that. I know this about myself: I can never openly share the woman I am in love with. Everything is fine, or so both parties will have you and each other believe...until it's not. And let's face it, pretty much all open relationships end up another romantic tragedy when real emotions come to the surface and one person or the other can no longer handle the openness.
Mason is a self-absorbed writer whose books focus on pseudo-romantic flings that teenage girls would happily swoon over. His long-time girlfriend, Sam is a fashion designer who is hoping to break into the industry with her own clothing line. One thing they agree upon, aside from the open relationship, is that they do not want to be married or have children. Well, that changes when Sam runs into her old college boyfriend, James (Routh), who Sam has several sexual encounters with and then Sam ends up falling in love with him, again. James has made it clear that he wants her back, too, which muddies up Sam's emotions and thoughts. Mason, in the meantime, has been shacking up with Sam's younger sister-in-law, Olivia (Bush), who is a nineteen year old girl who attempts that she's had a crush on Mason for ten years. Clearly, Mason is taking advantage of this poor girl.
If you've watched movies like this before, you know what to expect, you know what happens next. Jealous. Recriminations. Fist fights. Tears. Of course.
It's an appealing cast. They are all quite attractive, but that doesn't distract from the fact that they are, not necessarily, despicable, but at least do not evoke any sort of sympathy from the audience. You only sort of hope that they will come out of their 20s a bit smarter and more emotionally involved.
It's not a bad movie, per say. But it's also not a very good one, either.
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Film 344
"Elsewhere"
starring: Anna Kendrick, Paul Wesley, Tania Raymonde, Chuck Carter, Olivia Dawn York, Jon Gries
written and directed by: Nathan Hope
"Elsewhere" is a mediocre teen-centered psychological shocker, heavily invested in the whodunit aspect of the story, not so much interested in the entertaining part or the actual horror aspect of the genre. Poor Anna Kendrick, who I am hoping got sucked into doing this film, because she actually has shown great promise as a new, young actress to Hollywood, thanks in large part to her co-starring role with George Clooney in "Up in the Air." With this film, she clearly shows she is certainly not meant for horror films and cannot be a "Scream Queen" (even when she's supposed to scream, she just cannot muster the strength to let one out).
The central mystery, as with all these genre types, completely drives the story. Sure there's a mild romance subplot between Sarah and the geek kid, but that so obviously isn't slated to go anywhere worthwhile it ultimately serves as unsubstantial filler. As the story plods along—its sights set on the Big Reveal of who's responsible for these shenanigans—it should become increasingly obvious who the Big Bad is going to be. In fact, if you consider yourself well-versed in the conventions of the low-budget indie horror genre, then you should have this mystery solved in no time. The impetus behind all the killing and malfeasance? Well, in "Elsewhere" it's spectacularly shoddy and not worth the long haul the film demands.
The most disappointing aspect of the whole thing is the missed opportunity. There was a cool idea about a killer roaming social online sites looking for victims, but about halfway through it's discarded. What could have been a rewarding examination of the potential terror looming for unsuspecting and too-trusting teens trolling Facebook and MySpace, eventually degenerates into a standard-issue direct-to-DVD chiller.
Boo! I did not like this one at all. But, oh well.
"Generation Um"
starring: Keanu Reeves, Sarita Choudhury, Bojana Novakovic, Adelaide Clemens
written and directed by: Mark Mann
What is so appealing about videotaping/recording everyday life? Is it an escape from reality or an attempt to hide behind a camera in order to avoid reality? And who's great idea was it to put Keanu Reeves in the lead role as the inarticulate, pondering male figure who puts others in front of the camera? He is definitely the wrong choice for such a crappy role.
With "Generation Um" Reeves plays John, who has "intriguing" conversations with several people in and around Lower East Side in Manhattan as he walks around and stops at various places like a bakery where he nibbles at a cupcake. John then comes upon a performance art group in a park and he decides to steal the camcorder that was set down by one of the artists. This prompts a foot chase through the streets and subway, until finally John is back home.
All the while, John has been spending time with two young escorts (who could simply pass as college students) whom he somehow befriended right at the beginning of the film, as we are introduced to the trio in John's car as he drops them off at their apartment. Mia (Adelaide Clemens) and Violet (Bojana Novakovic) are the two escorts who basically spend the entire film getting drunk, high, and/or just simply losing their shit about anything. When John comes home with the camcorder, the director Mark Mann spends a lot of unnecessary time in their apartment going from room to room as Mia and Violet act spaced out, going from snorting coke together to having random sexual encounters (which for the most part involve oral sex), and then passing out in the panties. I guess the director knew what he was doing by casting a couple of low-end actresses who wouldn't mind spending almost the entire film making bad choices and walking around in the panties. I don't see how these scenes are actually worthy of our attention and carry out the story, even though, the entire set-up can lend itself to the overall theme of alienation.
These three characters spend a lot of time talking to each other about nothing at all, until the last third of the film, when John's quizzical nature leads Mia and Violet to open up about their past lives (finally, maybe we get some answers as to why these two girls chose to become escorts) and how it relates to their present sexuality and basic disregard for emotional attachment involved in sex. It's all a lot less profound than it is more Psych 101, which leads the viewer to think: "What's the point?" and "Who cares?" That's how I felt the entire time I watched this film with disinterest.
.................................................................
Film 341
"Last Night"
starring: Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, Guillaume Canet
written and directed by: Massy Tadjedin
I couldn't help thinking that "Last Night" was a much nicer, tamer version of a much better, deeper film "Closer" where the characters were generally a lot meaner and nastier to each other. That being said, "Last Night" is still an enjoyable film.
The entire film is focused on a married couple, Joanna (Keira Knightley) and Michael (Sam Worthington) who are happily together, but at the beginning of the film a discreet flirtation that Joanna eyes between Michael and a co-worker, Laura (played by Eva Mendes, with her sultry eyes and lips would make a lot of women jealous and envious) at a party. This leads to a heated fight between the married couple, and it just so happens to be right before Michael is set to leave on a business trip with Laura in Philadelphia. Joanna is convinced that Michael finds Laura attractive and that he wants to sleep with her. Michael seems to convince his wife that she's simply being paranoid and so then Michael departs. Soon after, for whatever reason, Joanna runs into Alex (Guillaume Canet), who happened to be a rendez vous sexual partner she had in Paris before she and Michael got married. Why and how does he just happen to be in New York? He is obviously just a serendipitous encounter that is meant to be a vehicle to move the plot forward and his presence doesn't require you to think "why."
What separates this film from "Closer" is that the first-time writer/director focuses more of the tension on the idea of "will they or won't they?" between both parties: Michael and Laura (who even go swimming together and have deeper conversations about Laura's boyfriend who died) and Joanna and Alex (who go from a business dinner with Alex's associates to walking Joanna's friend's dog and getting locked out to spending the night in a dreamy loft hugging and talking). The director cuts back and forth between the married couples different exploits, which, like I said, is mostly just conversations about why they aren't having sex with their complementary ready-and-willing sexual partners.
The film explores forbidden intimacies in completely non-intimate or erotic spaces (like a business hotel, which seems so cliche or a trendy New York loft), while also perhaps being an extreme case of virtual "ball blues," especially for Alex, who is fooled around with by the seductive Keira Knightley, who ultimately chooses not to cheat on her husband (I mean, she even left her husband a note in his suitcase apologizing about their fight).
I enjoyed this slow-building film, but could have done with less talking and more action, even though I believe that was actually the point of the film. I've seen films better explore the "will they or won't they" plot with much more interesting dialogue along the way.
I still love Keira Knightley and find her unbelievably sexy.
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Film 342
"Camillle"
starring: James Franco, Sienna Miller, David Carradine
I read an article, I think on Buzzfeed, a while back that put up a list of some of the worst rom-dramedies featured on Netflix and this film happened to be on that list, so I was intrigued enough to put it on my list of movies to check out for this project. And let me tell you something, it certainly does not disappoint as being a gigantic disappointment. Sienna Miller is the British, poor man's version of Naomi Watts (strictly in appearance and not at all based on acting ability, because Watts is a far better actress). And poor James Franco. He seems to make far more terrible choices than good ones when it comes to which films he should star in.
The plot is just a completely ridiculous story that I cannot believe was greenlit. Camille (Miller) has always been in love with a less than reputable Silas (Franco), probably since she was six years old (as her uncle, a local sheriff, comments at one point). Silas is somewhat forced into a marriage with Camille in order to avoid jail time or get his sentence suspended. Sienna Miller adopts a terrible Southern accent for her role and Franco continues to play the aloof rebel (although he seems less stoned here than his other, more recent films).
They are the typical bickering couple as soon as they get (forcefully) married and then hit the road on Silas' motorcycle to head to Niagara Falls (a place that Camille has been dying, pun intended, as you'll see, to go to because it epitomizes love to her, for some reason). The kicker here- SPOILER ALERT- is that Camille dies in an accident briefly into their road trip, and so then the script has them together weathering one crazy, symbol-rich encounter on the road after another (the most significant being one with David Carradine- really?). Poor Camille gives and gives to Silas, pleading for a love he was blackmailed to provide, and he retreats further and further, his resentment impossible for him to suppress. Impossible, that is, until—spoilers herein—Camille dies, from an accident triggered, to an extent, by his disgust, revealing to Silas what he's been ignoring all along: reliable, convenient true love. Silas, head now presumably clear, sets forth to get Camille to Niagara Falls, the destination of their honeymoon, so she can fade to the greener pastures in proper peace.
From past movie experience I know that Sienna Miller is a gifted actress and she plunges into her naïve, cutie-pie of a part with a conviction that's authentically brave considering the circumstances. Franco's role is almost literally unplayable, and he has the disadvantage of one of those most infuriating of parts: the character the filmmakers clearly pull for that the audiences detest (Silas doesn't earn what he half-heartedly recognizes at the end of the picture). Camille is ultimately a (disgusting) fantasy of the yielding beautiful woman who defines herself solely through the anything-but-ambitious loser she somehow loves, with that love finally reciprocated through death. Domestic abuse has never been so soul-affirming.
This is a terrible road trip adventure with nothing to pay off the viewer, even with the beautiful view of Niagara Falls at the end.
...........................................................................
Film 343
"Fling"
starring: Brandon Routh, Steve Sandvoss, Courtney Ford, Shoshana Bush, Nick Wechsler, Ellen Hollman
written and directed by: John Stewart Muller
Perhaps the best thing about "Fling" is that I recognized the scenery, because the film was shot in Kansas City, MO- one of my favorite places that I found while on my road trip a few years ago, and in fact, a place I'm dying to go back to someday soon.
It's a would-be romantic and would-be sexy sex dramedy about really annoying, self-centered twentysomethings who are simply interested in the sexual encounters that they think could not ever help define them. They simply think they know everything about themselves and the world; could never be wrong or hurt, either. But, then again, isn't that how everyone thinks when they are in their 20s?
This story focuses on a couple, Mason (Sandvoss) and Sam (Ford), who are in an open relationship. In fact, it's so open that they seem to get off on telling each other about their different sexual escapades. Well, kudos to them (and people like them, in real life) because I could never ever be able to do that. I know this about myself: I can never openly share the woman I am in love with. Everything is fine, or so both parties will have you and each other believe...until it's not. And let's face it, pretty much all open relationships end up another romantic tragedy when real emotions come to the surface and one person or the other can no longer handle the openness.
Mason is a self-absorbed writer whose books focus on pseudo-romantic flings that teenage girls would happily swoon over. His long-time girlfriend, Sam is a fashion designer who is hoping to break into the industry with her own clothing line. One thing they agree upon, aside from the open relationship, is that they do not want to be married or have children. Well, that changes when Sam runs into her old college boyfriend, James (Routh), who Sam has several sexual encounters with and then Sam ends up falling in love with him, again. James has made it clear that he wants her back, too, which muddies up Sam's emotions and thoughts. Mason, in the meantime, has been shacking up with Sam's younger sister-in-law, Olivia (Bush), who is a nineteen year old girl who attempts that she's had a crush on Mason for ten years. Clearly, Mason is taking advantage of this poor girl.
If you've watched movies like this before, you know what to expect, you know what happens next. Jealous. Recriminations. Fist fights. Tears. Of course.
It's an appealing cast. They are all quite attractive, but that doesn't distract from the fact that they are, not necessarily, despicable, but at least do not evoke any sort of sympathy from the audience. You only sort of hope that they will come out of their 20s a bit smarter and more emotionally involved.
It's not a bad movie, per say. But it's also not a very good one, either.
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Film 344
"Elsewhere"
starring: Anna Kendrick, Paul Wesley, Tania Raymonde, Chuck Carter, Olivia Dawn York, Jon Gries
written and directed by: Nathan Hope
"Elsewhere" is a mediocre teen-centered psychological shocker, heavily invested in the whodunit aspect of the story, not so much interested in the entertaining part or the actual horror aspect of the genre. Poor Anna Kendrick, who I am hoping got sucked into doing this film, because she actually has shown great promise as a new, young actress to Hollywood, thanks in large part to her co-starring role with George Clooney in "Up in the Air." With this film, she clearly shows she is certainly not meant for horror films and cannot be a "Scream Queen" (even when she's supposed to scream, she just cannot muster the strength to let one out).
The central mystery, as with all these genre types, completely drives the story. Sure there's a mild romance subplot between Sarah and the geek kid, but that so obviously isn't slated to go anywhere worthwhile it ultimately serves as unsubstantial filler. As the story plods along—its sights set on the Big Reveal of who's responsible for these shenanigans—it should become increasingly obvious who the Big Bad is going to be. In fact, if you consider yourself well-versed in the conventions of the low-budget indie horror genre, then you should have this mystery solved in no time. The impetus behind all the killing and malfeasance? Well, in "Elsewhere" it's spectacularly shoddy and not worth the long haul the film demands.
The most disappointing aspect of the whole thing is the missed opportunity. There was a cool idea about a killer roaming social online sites looking for victims, but about halfway through it's discarded. What could have been a rewarding examination of the potential terror looming for unsuspecting and too-trusting teens trolling Facebook and MySpace, eventually degenerates into a standard-issue direct-to-DVD chiller.
Boo! I did not like this one at all. But, oh well.
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