Saturday, April 18, 2009

Charlie Bartlett

There's a Blockbuster a block away from my apartment and about once a month they do a four for $20 DVD sale. I am unable to pass this up even though the inevitable time crunch happens and I have stacks of unwatched DVD's sitting around (a good portion of which are some random titles that I picked up to fill up my four). This is one step in a continual effort to get through the monstrosity.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!! I really don't know how much energy I feel like devoting to this film. Right from the beginning I felt as if I was watching a pale imitation of a thousand other films. It bends over backwards trying to be quirky (ooh look at me I"m Robert Downey Jr., I compulsively drive model boats around my pool, aren't I crazy), and its not that I dislike quirky per se (I mean I'm a huge fan of the works of Wes Anderson) but when its quirkiness for its own sake I just get annoyed. The plot centers around a bored high school student who really wants to be liked who's just transferred to a public school. Of course he's initially an outcast but he's able to be become beloved by acting as the school psychologist and getting prescription medication to help them. Halfway through we have an attempted suicide that makes him try make a more prodigious use of his talents, and blah blah blah. There's lesson's learned, grand speeches, kids acting more mature than adults, and really every other indie film cliche that would theoreticaly make every Shins loving hipster pass out from joy. Oh and of course the climax revolves around a student produced play where everybody sees what's really important and learns an important life lesson. Yeah.

Look, this is definitely not the worst film ever, its just fallen into the trap of trying to be hip and quirky that it ends up becomming tiresome and boring. Still better than Pearl Harbor.

Once a Runner

This is a special What I've Been Reading edition of the blog. For those of you who think I care that you're angry that I'm not showing Thematic consistency...you obviously don't know me.

This has been a legendary book in the running circles I've frequented over the years. Its been out of print for several decades and I'd often seen used copies being sold on Ebay for hundreds of dollars. People I knew, and various running publications, referred to it as being the best book about running ever written and did so in tones usually reserved for describing Renaissance Paintings, Beethoven Symphonies, or a particularly delicious Strawberry Scone (hey you have your masterpieces I have mine). As a result when the book was recently republished I knew I had to see what all the hype was about and I bought a new hardcover copy (an unprecedented act on my part). So is this the pinnacle of sports literature (well no that would be the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue) or indeed all written word? First some reasons why not:

The book will never be considered great literature in the classical sense. When not dealing with the subject of running the dialougue is clunky, and most of the characters outside of our two protaganists could charitably be described as broad. The ostensible villians in the book were just a step removed from Snidely Whiplash (how's that for a timely reference) and with one notable exception most of the other atheletes have all the depth of the characters in an Adam Sandler comedy.

Now that all that is out of the way lets move on to why the book may actually be worth the hype. Its plot follows a college runner named Quenton Cassidy as he trains to race against the world record holder in the mile. There's some conflict with his school's administration suspending him for insubordination, but none of that matters, what does is the running and that is where the book excels. The author completely captures the drive, pain, and monomaniacal vision of high level atheletes, and gives one of the best depictions of what it takes to succeed athletically of anything I've ever read. The breakdown of the training regimens, and races, are incredibly gripping and felt as authentic as anything out there. More importantly the author is able to distill why somebody would put themselves through hundreds of miles a week of training in an effort to peak in one four minute period with no guarantee of success.
Ultimately this is what makes the book as beloved as it is, and while I can't say I'll go back and re-read the whole thing as often as, say, Everybody Poops, there are passages in it that I'm sure I'll revisit during my training to get a little extra jolt. In fact immediately after I finished it I actually started looking forward to the subsequent day's interval workout and if a book about running can make me do that, then you can call it a success.

Adventureland

Wow a film that features multiple instances of characters getting punched in the groin and I didn't roll my eyes once. That's quite a feat. The film follows Jesse Eisenberg's character who's just graduated from college and found out his parents are short of cash. As a result he's forced to work at a third rate amusement park for the summer called, you guessed it, Adventureland. Of course he has some meaningful experiences, and learns some life lessons, as you would expect but the real beauty of the film is that none of it feels forced. The film manages to keep a low key vibe throughout, and as a result (most of) the characters manage to feel like real people even if they're a little too well spoken and insightful for that to actually be the case. Most of the laughs, including the groin shots, are earned and unlike most comedies we see these days you never feel like the cast is constantly saying "look at Me, I'm being funny, please laugh. Laugh Damn you." As an added bonus the soundtrack prominently features my favorite Velvet Underground song, Pale Blue Eyes (though this isn't saying much as I'm not a huge Velvet Underground fan), and its the second consecutive film I've seen to feature a prominent Rush reference. I may have to go back to wearing my Celtics Starter jacket.

Anyway its a nice little film that I'd recommend checking out.

Addendum: This trailer showed beforehand and almost caused me to leave:



I mean really, this is what we've come to? Its watching a parody trailer on SNL, please tell me this isn't a real film.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Duplicity, I love you Man

These are both genre films (caper for Duplicity, and romantic comedy for I Love You Man) that hue closely to their conventions. In a caper film you expect there to be a labyrinthine plot, exotic locations, action, misdirection, and a scene at the end that shows how everything comes together. With a romantic comedy you expect an unlikely relationship, comedic pratfalls, some (usually manufactured) conflict, before an audience friendly resolution. Since neither of these films really looked to reinvent the wheel, what ultimately matters is how well the formulas are executed and how much you like the characters. In the case of Duplicity the execution, and overall style, is really what drives the enjoyment of the film. The plot about two former intelligence agents, played by Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, who are involved in trying to steal secrets from a Johnson & Johnson-esqe corporation sticks pretty closely to what you'd expect from this type of film, and is suitably ludicrous that you don't get bogged down trying to figure out if any of what is happening could actually occur in real life. The vibe of the film most reminded me of Ocean's 11 in that everybody involved seemed to be enjoying going through machinations of the story, and with one glaring exception (a scene towards the end where they make the mistake of trying to get serious) I had a dumb grin on my face throughout the film (this may or may not have had anything to do with the copious amount of glue I had been been sniffing).

I Love You Man, on the other hand, lives and dies by the likeability of the two leads, played Paul Rudd and Jason Segal. The actors have an easy chemistry and affability that makes what is actually a pretty thin plot easy to digest. The film does grind to halt by the forced ending, but up to that point the two main characters manage you keep you relatively engaged and amused. Plus the fact that the band is Rush is prominently featured added a little something extra for me as there was a time in my life, when I wasn't the stone cold arbiter of all that is cool you know and love today, where this Canadian prog rock trio, who often wrote songs based on the works of Ayn Rand, was a large part of my life. And you know what? They still kind of rock even if I'm a little embarressed to say it.

So there you have it, two relatively innovesive films that don't reinvent the wheel but are a reasonable entertaining way to spend a couple of hours. I know, my hyperbole is overwhelming.

One Tree Hill

So I think I'm seeing this episode out of order but lets be honest, it doesn't really matter. It's not like narrative continuity is what drives this show.

-So we begin with it looking like Dan's going to his heart, but a crackhead in the ER trips the medic carrying he heart with his dog's leash. The dog then eats the heart after it falls out of the box. I'm not kidding. Lassie runs off with Dan's heart in her mouth. Best...Show....Ever
-Thankfully we're back with Dawson the director trying to get a helicopter to shoot the movie's final scene in order to have sex in it. This explains Michael Bay.
-Skillz is coaching Jaime's pee wee basketball team. Does he take it a little too seriously? He does. Does he wear a suit on the sidelines and scream at the ref? He does. Have I seen this hilarious scenario played out before, of course.
-The studio head who greenlit Lucas and Julian's movie gets fired, and suddenly the whole production is in limbo - duh duh duh. I'll ruin the suspense for you - the movie gets canceled. Dawson celebrates because he's still getting paid. He then rolls up in a stretch hummer limousine. Before leaving he calls out Lucas and Julian for being the little whiners they are, and toasts them by saying 'To the friendships we made along the way and the insane amount of ass we get for doing this job.' He then tells the little babies that he got them their production bonus because he shot a little film the night before, and then flies off with an actress in a helicopter he charged to the film. Possibly my favorite character of all time.
-I now realize that I missed a whole show of what could be considered major plot developments and didn't even notice. Not something I could say about Lost. Another reason this show rocks-you don't have to worry about catching every single episode in order. Makes watching much less stressful.
-They keep bringing the four year old back to the cemetary to have conversations with dead people. That's good parenting.
-Dan wanders into the ocean and screams at God. I guess seeing Rin Tin Tin eat your donor heart makes you a little annoyed at the almighty. Of course after he ends up back on the beach some spiky haired peroxide individual, probably named Troy, jogs by and says 'Great Day to be Alive.' That's what we call irony folks.
-In this episode of shameless product placement, Jaime designs his own Tree Hill on the Sims. This is one show that doesn't need a stimulus package.
-Hey the actor that plays Nathan is from Hemet, CA, right near my childhood neighborhood (give or take a 45 minute ride which in southern california makes it practically next door).The question is whether he was involved in the thriving meth trade or the giant Scientology center up there. I'm guessing Scientology. I think he got the meth habit after moving to North Carolina.
-Jaime has Dan admit that he's the one who killed Keith and gets mad. So the four year old is now feeling closer to the dead great uncle he never actually met than the grandfather who saved him from the pshyco nanny. I blame the fact that the parents make him hang out in cemetaries for fun.
-So that whole Brooke /Julian, I love you storyline that was dealt with ad nauseum in the subsequent episode (which I wrote about last time) was also a focus of this episode. It doesn't get any less annoying the second time around.
-Good god this episode is actually featuring a song by a legitimate artist. Apparently at least one of the PA's is an Aimee Mann fan. Or they made a mistake. Either way its a welcome change from the typical soundtrack choices.
-To make up for this oversight the closing song is from The Fray
-Episode ends with Dan leaving, presumably to die. Unless I see him get run over by a steam roller I don't believe it. He'll probably come back with a Sony designed robot heart or something.


Episode rating on a scale of 10: 16

Thursday, April 2, 2009

One Tree Hill

To recap a few big cliffhangers from last time:

-Julian tells Brooke he loves her but she can't say it back
-Peyton's pregnancy threatens her life!!!!
-Millie may be leaving for good (hopefully causing Mouth to kill himself)
-Haley tries to stand up for free speech in the high school paper she advises on, but gets fired

I know you can't wait so lets get right to it:

- Haley is replaced by the principal who fired her, and of course the students revolt. Just like all the public schools I went to. The entire class even breaks into her house to show their solidarity. Nothing says support like breaking and entering
-Damnit Skills, don't try to reunite Mouth and Millie. I really need them to dissapear.
-OMG!!! - Julian comes back to take Brooke away to Malibu. And he's so sensitive he agrees to take her seventeen year old, alleged, foster child with them. Because a high school kid apparently can't look after themselves for a weekend.
-This event apparently means that she can't come back to visit, because she's afraid that by going to LA she won't be able to be Peyton's main of honor. I didn't realize that flights from North Carolina to LA were one way.
-Lucas and Nathan bring the devil child Jaime to their murdered Uncle Keith's auto shop to learn more about him. Actually here's a good chance to recap the Keith storyline:

Lucas and Nathan are both Dan's kid by different women
Keith is Dan's Brother
Keith falls in love with Lucas's mother
Dan gets jealous
Dan shoots keith during a high school shooting and makes it look like the high school shooter (who coincidentally killed himself first) did it

Got all that? And you doubted this was the greatest show ever.

Anyway they spend the afternoon telling the four year about his gunned down great uncle he never met.
-Wait, Skills is a genius. He's taking Mouth to a college party to hook up with drunk sorority girls. I'm sorry I doubted. Mouth's ex-girlfriend immediately has him do a keg stand. Mouth immediately starts visualizing Millie's body on the hot slutty college girls.
-Back to the high school kids, they even reference Dead Poets Society and say they won't leave Haley's house until she teaches them Catch-22. I'm not joking. She proceeds to break out her living room whiteboard and teaches hell out of their fertile minds. The evil principal then walks into her house breaking up this veritable Algonquin roundtable. Haley then gives the Principal some heartfelt advice about dealing with misunderstood teenagers, who apparently will eat up everything you give them if you only treat them like adults.
-World weary Mouth, who best I can figure is about 22, sits with Skills and reminices about how much easier college was and how deeply he regrets letting the right one (Millie) get away. Skills, in a very dissapointing move, immediately agrees to drive him to New York.
-We only have fifteen minutes left in the episode and Peyton's still not dead (boo), Mouth is driving to get back with Millie (double boo), Brooke still can't decide whether to go to LA (whatever), and I'm enjoying a strawberry scone. Mmmm, scones.
-Ahhh, Haley feels torn about going back to being a famous rock star because she loves teaching so much. I had a similiar issue back when I was teaching high school. Except replace famous rock star with accountant and loves to teach with gas.
-HAHAHAHA, possibly homeless Jack kisses Sam and says he wanted to do it then in case he never got a chance to in the future. She then makes a disgusted face and runs off. Welcome to my high school life Jack.
-Oh Snap, 'Congratulation Pricipal Renquist, you made a good teacher not want to teach, and good students not want to learn.' Haley you are a veritable Andrew Dice Clay.
-Millie is being plowed by the New York Jets offensive line when Mouth gets to her house. Okay I may have made that up. Mouth does some lame speech and she takes him back. More importantly we learn Millie's last name is Huxstable. Not sure whether to make the Cosby Sweater or pudding joke.
-Sam tries to talk Brooke into leaving with Julian, I think she really wants to avoid Jack. Again much like my high school experience. She instead goes to the airport to rub it in. Sissy boy starts cryingm and says some crap about how life isn't a movie and leaves. Again these people haven't heard of commuting?
-After hearing she's not going to LA Sam decides to settle for Jack since she's losing out on her shot at the Jonas brothers.
-Tonights emo closing slo-mo song if 'Save You' by Matther Perryman Jones, which is coincidentally also the name of my pet chinchilla.


rating out of ten: 11. Way too much mouth and Millie.