250W: While We're Young

Short reviews for clear and concise verdicts on a broad range of films...

While We're Young (Dir Noah Baumbach / 2015)

Who doesn’t look forward to the new Noah Baumbach? He’s Woody Allen via Jean Luc Godard, set amongst the cool-kids in New York. Director of the lovable Frances Ha and mentally-unhinged Greenberg, his latest film, While We’re Young, returns to similar themes of youth and age amongst urban city-slicker art-types. Cornelia (Naomi Watts) and Josh (Ben Stiller) are introduced as they hold a crying baby, and uncomfortably fawn over the child. It’s not their child, thank god. New Yorkers through-and-through, they are stuck between that early-forties phase whereby they’re not keen on the responsibility of parenthood. Then, they meet young and cool Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried), and feel better about themselves. Josh is inspired to wear a hipster-hat and tries to ride a bike. Cornelia attends hip-hop work-out classes and they both enjoy hallucinogens while dreamily confessing their fears and desires. It’s the age-old fight against old-age – and, like the best films, it raises more questions than it answers. Nobody is perfect and this isn’t a world whereby life is fair. A personal highlight is when documentarian Josh requests to zoom-in on footage, only to be met with the stunted response that the program can’t zoom in. While We’re Young is the type of story that only reaffirms your own frustrations about the fragility of life, with acutely-observed comedy and self-effacing criticism. Youngsters will like the young. Oldies will relate to the older folks. But this careful balance is what makes While We’re Young so elegantly exquisite.

Rating: 4/5

250W: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Short reviews for clear and concise verdicts on a broad range of films...

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Dir. Ben Stiller/2013)

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) could be considered two types of character. Many compare Mitty to Forrest Gump. I believe this is unfair and inaccurate, and rather than a man with a low IQ, I’d compare him to Joel in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Creative, shy and socially awkward – but hardly Gump-like. Mitty aspires to be more than the office drone for LIFE magazine. He day-dreams of exploding buildings so that he can save the dog to woo his colleague Cheryl (Wiig). He looks up to photographer extraordinaire Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn). Mitty’s decision to board a plane to Greenland and find O’Connell himself is shot in the same manner as the explosive dream; therefore it’s unclear from this point what is and is not a dream. The wide-landscapes and stunning vistas are offset by bolshy in-product-advertising by E-Harmony and Papa Johns. Ben Stiller seems to have snagged himself an all-expense paid trip to the Himalayas and the crew to document it in the production crew. Does he want us all to pack in our jobs and become photographers? Or shall we pity his pessimistic attitude towards his own social standing? A job at LIFE magazine is brilliant. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is weak and unconvincing. Rather than Into the Wild, it’s ‘Into the Bland’ as Stiller manages to bore us with music-video montages and pseudo-inspirational points. Stiller wants us to punch the air but this all a dream and we are merely watching a filmmaker’s bucket-list. 

Rating: 3/10

A-Z #74: Empire of the Sun

You can pick up hundreds of DVDs for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. It's never about quantity, it's about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and understanding why I own the films ... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#74 - Empire of the Sun 

Why did I buy it?

Spielberg marathon. I vividly remember Empire of the Sun having a hearty recommendation from Dawson Leery on Dawsons Creek. If I recall correcltly, I think he may have stated that the film was "underrated". Suffice to say, the double-disc package was a must. The fact that Christian Bale as a young whipper-snapper and Ben Stiller was playing a non-comedic role was worth watching at any rate.

Why do I still own it?

So, I watched it once. I won't lie, I wasn't blown away. Now I know that Mad Hatter is a big fan and good friend Rhys has always praised the film rating it higher than some of the acknowledged 'Spielberg' classics. Therefore, I hold onto the film waiting to rewatch and re-judge. The thing is -  Spielberg has so many good films! Unlike 1941, which was sold on as soon as took the disc out of the player, Empire of the Sun has so many iconic shots that are unforgettable. The one I captured above is one of many, many shots. I think the child's perspective is an interesting route to watch the war through - but I question whether Christian Bale carried the film effectively. I think my gut feeling is that he did not...

Should I stick to that gut-feeling and sell it ASAP? Or should I trust the film-friends and wait for the rewatch?

The Simon and Jo Film Show: 19/06/2010

This week, we begin from Ben and Jerry's on Leicester Square to cover, for our main review, Noah Baumbach's 'Greenberg', then we move on to discuss the new releases and box office in London.

To finish we have a nice classic edge as Simon watches two classic movies: Billy Wilders 'The Apartment' and George Steven's 'Shane' - Simon's Dad's favourite Film of All Time. Quite incredible indeed.

Links

We mentioned the positive criticism for Please Give and Greenberg on the untouchable Filmspotting podcast and, additionally, the lads at /Film informed us about MacGruber.

Music

All music is from the soundtrack to Greenberg - which can be found on itunes and Amazon amongst other places. But alas, we finish with a nice World Cup song - 'Wavin' Flag'...