Comedy

Sunshine Shines Bright

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Little Miss Sunshine
  • IMDB: link

This is a terrific little film.  It’s sad when movies such as John Tucker Must Die get huge distribution and marketing while truly wonderful smaller films such as this one will struggle to find an audience.  Little Miss Sunshine is worth both your time and money; it’s so good I didn’t want it to end.

Into every life a little rain must fall, into this family…well, wear your galoshes.  Richard (Greg Kinnear) is a self-help guru who is lives his life to “the nine steps,” determined to be a winner and not a loser.  His wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) is trying to keep the family together despite their financial and emotional difficulties.

Son Dwayne (Paul Dano) quietly worships Fredrick Nietche, he’s taken a vow of silence, and spends his time dreaming about a life flying jets.  The grandfather (Alan Arkin) is a heroin addict who’s main philosophy to the younger generation seems to be – sleep with as many women as possible.

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Here’s the Scoop

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Scoop
  • IMDb: link

I called up a friend, who doubles as my Woody Allen expert, to check out Allen’s latest flick.  I enjoy Allen’s films, but to be honest, there are many of his earlier works I haven’t seen.  Ry on the other hand has seen them all, except one I wish I hadn’t – 2003’s aptly titled Anything Else (as in, I wish I was watching anything else but this piece of garbage).

So how does Scoop measure up?  Well it got thumbs up from my expert.  As for me?  As I’ve said before, if you put Scarlett Johansson in a clever, fun film, there’s very little that can go wrong.  Once again my great predictions have panned out.  Tomorrow’s lottery numbers will be 21 – 3 – 17.

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A Shared Moment

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Chasing Amy
  • IMDb: link

chasing-amy-poster

I came into the View Askew Universe in the middle.  I hadn’t seen Clerks or Mallrats and didn’t even really know much about this filmmaker named Kevin Smith.  I was in college and over winter break a friend had recommended this film called Chasing Amy to me (thanks Mary!!).  She wouldn’t tell me much about it except that it was something she wouldn’t recommend to everyone but thought it was something I might like.

Back at school a month or two later I discovered that for two nights the university movie theater was showing that same film.  Remembering the recommendation and with nothing better to do I went and I went back the next night to see it again.  I can’t remember a film that touched me on so many levels and I’ve been a supporter of Kevin Smith ever since hoping one day he’ll find the magic he weaved in this film.  Over the years I’ve been entertained by Smith’s later work and enjoyed his two previous films but sadly none would measure up to the one so dear to my heart.

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A Prairie Home Companion

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: A Prairie Home Companion
  • IMDb: link

Garrison Keillor and Robert Altman do a very good job of showing the final day of the small radio show before the curtain is pulled down for good.  However when the film leaves the story for subplots involving an angel or the corporate hatchet man, it losses the feel and warmth that is so integral to making the rest of the film work.  The end result is a very good film that had it been handled a little different could have been great.

The film centers on an old time radio show that continues to broadcast in present day oblivious to the fact that time may well have past them by.  The performers are like a large dysfunctional but loving family that on this night, the final night the show will be broadcast, say goodbye.

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Kinky Boots

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Kinky Boots
  • IMDb: link

Okay you’ve seen this one before.  This light-hearted English comedy where people learn to accept people and ideas that are thrust into their lives and everyone, despite the troubles they go through during the film, lives happily ever after.  To this much overused mix we add RazorFine favorite Chiwetel Ejiofor in drag and a conservative shoe factory producing shoes for women who are men who dress like women.  The odd mix creates some enjoyable, if sometimes unoriginal, fun.

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