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My Heart Is an Idiot (2010)
Thoughtful.
It's tricky reviewing a friend's movie.
Luckily, David Meiklejohn's new documentary, "My Heart Is an Idiot," is really good.
Whew.
See, in the interest of full disclosure (and to make myself seem cool), I should say that Meiklejohn and I used to work together at Videoport. (I still do.) Meiklejohn made this movie, which follows Davy Rothbart, the founder of Found magazine, on several speaking tours as he tries to sort out his complicated love life.
In the "self-indulgent, yet ultimately winning search for love" documentary genre, "MHIAI" falls comfortably somewhere between Ross McElwee's whimsical classic "Sherman's March" and Eric Schaeffer's nakedly revealing series "I Can't Believe I'm Still Single." Rothbart comes across both as a shaggy hipster doofus and a genuine romantic, a manipulative exhibitionist and a yearning dreamer.
Meiklejohn adds some inventive touches (model vehicles on a hand-drawn map, an old tape recorder visualizing an awkward interview) and, as part of Rothbart's (and the film's) quest for answers, the star gathers advice from an eclectic selection of people (Tommy Chong, Newt Gingrich, Ira Glass, Zooey Deschanel) alongside the gradually revealed entanglements of Rothbart's love life.
It's a thoughtful, consistently surprising film destined, I'm certain, for national recognition. Its Maine premiere Monday at the Nickelodeon Cinemas in Portland will have both Meiklejohn and Rothbart on hand to field your questions. I talked with Meiklejohn, who just returned to town after a cross-country series of screenings (see myheartisanidiot.com for details).
There's a "whoa" moment a half-hour into the film which forces us to re-evaluate our impression of Rothbart. Was that revelation always part of your cinematic plan? The documentary was originally just about Found, but we gradually realized it was more about love. Davy saw he was too close to the subject, so it became my project. So it was my decision, for dramatic reasons, to introduce that revelation at that point. It definitely shows how there are aspects of Davy that are compartmentalized, and not necessarily in a healthy way.
What drives people to relentlessly exhibit their personal lives? On one hand, it's admirable how open Davy is about his mistakes, in his life and his work, the things he might be ashamed of. I'm not saying it's entirely noble, but it definitely makes for good art.
What's next for the movie? This tour is like a mating ritual, with me trying to seduce distributors, to create momentum that will put the film on their radar, which will hopefully lead to a cinematic and DVD release.
All right, so what have you learned about love from all this? It just reaffirms how important honesty is, both with your partner and yourself. I thought I knew that before, but seeing what they go through in the movie really drives that home. Nobody is infallible when it comes to love. Davy's a great example of that -- no matter how pure his intentions.
The Freebie (2010)
Thoughtful, well-acted, and moving.
Sometimes, or is it all the time, it seems like the people in charge of selling a movie are working directly in opposition to the original intents and artistic dreams of the actual creative people who make movies. I know that it's the job of distributors to get people to watch a movie they're putting out, I guess by any means necessary. But if they create an ad campaign, a movie poster, or DVD box art which is deliberately misleading as to the actual content of the movie, isn't that just going to either tick or turn people off? Seriously, if you create a sexy, silly cover for an ambitious, serious film, either you're going to a.)disappoint the people attracted to such a cover when they don't get what they were looking for or b.)keep people who would actually like such a film from ever renting it, or c.) both. For example, this film. I didn't watch it, and had no real interest in watching it, essentially based on the cover art and title. (I mean, sure, I was not exactly jazzed to check out the newest Dax Shepard vehicle either, but more on that later...) The title, the tagline, and the cutesy cover with stars Shepard and Katie Aselton all wrapped up in a blanket and giving us a comically-cute 'oops!' look makes it look like a lowbrow, cheesy romantic comedy, and the premise (unhappy couple decides to give each other the titular 'freebie' one-night stand with someone else apiece) is the stuff of lousy guy comedies (see last year's Hall Pass, etc.) But, since I had an undeniably-too-cool-not-to-tell reason to actually watch the thing (I got to interview star/director/writer Aselton) and I have to say The Freebie is really, really good. In addition to starring in this (and the very funny series 'The League'), Aselton is married to indie filmmaker (and co-father of the so-called 'mumblecore' movement) Mark Duplass, and in this, her directorial debut, she shows a real affinity for that genre's improvisational, conversational and emotionally-raw style, and creates a smart, legitimately moving examination of one couple's misguided attempt to sort out their relationship. Shepard and Aselton play Darren and Annie, a genuinely-happy, compulsively-honest couple who admit, one night, that their sex life has become routine. And so the 'one-night stand' plan. What's truly impressive is how organically the premise gets introduced; the two actors so ably create a very specifically-believable couple that you go along with their reasoning, even though you are pretty sure they're making a terrible mistake. That's a credit to the two actors, in more ways than one. I noticed that there are no writing credits listed for The Freebie on IMDb, and none in the movie itself, and Aselton confirmed to me on the phone (that's the last time I name drop, I promise), that, while she wrote her film's outline, the entire thing was improvised. And, while Aselton's background in the mumblecore genre, and the improv-heavy 'The League' reveals that she's got the chops for such an undertaking (and she is heartbreaking, winning, and lovely), the real revelation is Shepard. You might recognize him from comedies of such variable quality as Let's Go to Prison, Idiocracy, Without a Paddle, and Baby Mama, but absolutely nothing in his previous work suggested he could pull something like this off. As the two go through their painful journey into sexual adventurousness and, maybe, back again, the two actors make us care, and empathize, every step of the way, with Aselton's sure hand behind the camera providing sensitive, sure guidance. I popped this DVD in, honestly, out of a sense of obligation and, largely thanks to how it was marketed, absolutely no expectations whatsoever. I finished it with a continued respect for Aselton, a newfound one for Shepard, and a reaffirmed belief that movie marketing is headed up, by and large, by a team of trained chimps with cocaine habits. Ignore the cover, watch the movie.
Day of the Dead (1985)
Reasons why I love you...
Oh, Day of the Dead, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 1. You're the third entry in director George A. Romero's zombie saga and, until the stunningly mediocre Land of the Dead, the worst of the lot; yet I own thee, and have watched thee a dozen times at least. 2. Your concept (the zombies have essentially won, and a handful of scientists and tetchy soldiers are holed up in a makeshift lab complex in an old mine, wearily looking for some way to keep humanity alive) is compelling, and suffused with a mixture of horror, desperation, and melancholy. 3. Your soundtrack, by Modern Man, is easily the most evocative, and weirdly moving score I've ever heard in a horror movie. If it exists somewhere on CD, I would buy it (or someone could buy it for me and send it c/o Videoport 151 Middle St. Portland, Maine 04101) and listen to it whenever I'm feeling decidedly odd. Which is often. 4. Bub the zombie. (Although the trend towards humanizing the zombies is played out to a silly degree in Land of the Dead, Howard Sherman's Bub is actually kind of moving, and Sherman gives the best performance in the movie- fun fact: Sherman was the formerly-flabby 'triangle artist' in the Junior Mint episode of Seinfeld). 5. Your performances, while, um, let's just say, of variable quality, have some highlights. Terry Alexander's heroic John (though his Jamaican accent gets a little dodgy at times) is head and shoulders above the rest; dude's got charisma. Lori Cardille, as our main protagonist Sarah, is very odd-looking and nobody's professional actress, but she's all the more affecting because of it, I think; watch the scene down in the cavern when she has to amputate her former lover's arm and then face off against the soldiers- that's genuinely good acting. Jarlath Conroy's Irish radioman (while, of course, taking nips out of his flask every ten seconds), has some good moments, even though his accent comes and goes, too (and he may actually be Irish
). And then there's Joe Pilato who, as the villainous Captain Rhodes, gives what I maintain to be the single worst performance ever committed to film in the history of the world. Man-oh-man! Wow! I just..you just have to watch it for yourself. I've actually sought out movies he's appeared in since, just to see if he's as awesomely awful in them; weirdly, he's always relatively competent in them. But, here
just
wow
6. Your awesome soundtrack, and your line, "Hello? Is there anyone there?" is sampled, to great effect, in the Gorillaz song "M1, A1". 7. Your death scene for Rhodes' is pretty damn epic, with his "Choke on them!" final line being hilariously awesome. (This scene, minus the line, is paid tribute in the near-perfect homage/spoof Shaun of the Dead).
8. You're not the 2007 remake, which makes you look like Ikiru in contrast. 9. You have no 'fast zombies'. Which are stupid.
Obscene (2007)
New hero...
The story of a ballsy little American hero, Obscene recounts the life of Barney Rosset who's fought a lifelong battle against censors, philistines, bullies, and shrieking 'won't somebody think of the children!' nanny-state-ninnies, and made America slightly less stupid because of it (I, personally, can't think of a better legacy). A naturally-rebellious guy, Rosset, after WWII found himself, almost by accident, the owner of tiny publishing house Grove Press and almost immediately made a career out of provoking court battles with the self-proclaimed 'forces of decency' by seeking out and publishing controversial works of literature. He started off with Lady Chatterley's Lover, moved on to Tropic of Cancer, Waiting for Godot, Naked Lunch, and many others 9and founding the groundbreaking journal Evergreen Review), fighting, and winning, the battle for free speech, free expression, and all of the rest of that Commie stuff, running through all his resources (and more than a few wives) in the process. In addition to the official, court-sanctioned harassment, he got death threats, smear campaigns, and, oh yeah, somebody bombed his office. Way to go America! Rosset, still impishly subversive well into old age, recounts his various struggles against The Man with obviously pride, even as he spells out the most difficult and unjust ways in which the foes of art tried, and ultimately succeeded, in bringing Grove down. Filled with saucy excerpts, indignant interviews, racy archival footage, and an inherent love of the written word, Obscene is a thrilling, fascinating, and infuriating watch, and you'll have a new hero at the end. Unless, of course, you're an illiterate prig.
Movie geeks unite! http://videoportjones.wordpress.com/
The Legend of Bigfoot (1975)
I am at a loss...
...I mean, empirically, this film is a disaster- grainy stock footage, utterly no useful information about the Bigfoot legend, oddly tangential narration...but my fiancée and I had an absolutely great time watching the thing. It's utterly bazonko portrait of a cranky, loony obsessive old coot making the most tenuous points in pursuit of his lifelong obsession is worthy of the full-on MST3k treatment. I mean, sure, they've already done the Bigfoot-y 'Legend of Boggy Creek 2', but this 'documentary' offers comic possibilities aplenty. There's the 'critchety old man' angle, the 'discursive, seemingly completely-unrelated stock footage to fill up running time' thread. The possibilities are endless. This came included with one of the invaluable Mill Creek 50 Movie value packs, and, if the other 49 films included turn out to be total nothings, I feel like I'll have gotten my money's worth on this one alone. I'll give it a '4', just because we're walking around with big, goofy smiles right now...
If Lucy Fell (1996)
Underrated, unique romantic comedy
A recommendation from Portland, Maine's movie oasis, Videoport! Videoport's Matthew and I may be the only two people in Portland who genuinely a). know who writer/director/star Eric Scheffer is and b). don't think he's weird and annoying. Well, you guys just haven't gotten to know him like we have. This 1996 romantic comedy was Schaeffer's shot at mainstream success and, while that didn't work out, it's remains a refreshingly-odd and affecting antidote to bland 'romantic comedies' like The Wedding Planner, The Wedding Date, My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding or anything with Kate Hudson in it. It's weird that this didn't do better, really, as Schaeffer was savvy (or lucky) enough to have brought in Sarah Jessica Parker and Ben Stiller (right before they really took off) as support; (it's also a bummer that neither of them have reciprocated now that they pull down ten million or so a picture). In this one, Schaeffer plays Joe, Scheffer's usual snaggly, slightly spazzy goof with a soulful side who lives with his best friend Lucy (Parker, getting to act softer and goofier than usual, herself), and who pines helplessly for his unbelievably-gorgeous neighbor, the leggy Jane (played by at-the-peak-of-her-strapping-loveliness Elle MacPherson). He's a painter, she's a therapist, they're both in 29 and sadly single and Jane reminds them of a long-ago promise to kill themselves in a 'death pact' if neither of them is in a real relationship by the time they're 30. Premise! So they both agree to throw caution to the wind for the last month before jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge: Joe will finally court Jane, while Lucy will go out with anyone who asks, leading her to reluctantly accept the off-the-wall advances of famous, fatuous art phenom Bwick Elias (a funny turn by a dreadlocked Stiller). Like I said, I like Schaeffer- he's a unique comic voice and a funny guy with a serious romantic streak, and Parker and Stiller were showing more colors back then before their public personas hardened into commercial product and, if the whole 'death pact' thing doesn't quite pay off, well, it's still an unique way to get things rolling towards the predictable, yet satisfying, conclusion. Great songs by the band Marry Me Jane. Look for a young Scarlett Johansen in a small role. Also, check out Schaeffer's other films Fall, Mind the Gap, Never Again, and Wirey Spindell (sadly, his excellent first comedy My Life's In Turnaround remains out of print), and see if you'll join Matt and me in the Portland chapter of the Eric Schaeffer fan club.
The Gospel According to Philip K. Dick (2001)
interesting subject...inept film-making
After watching this "film" i was moved to seek out the fiction of
Phillip K. Dick.
So that's a good thing....Dick comes of as an interesting writer
worthy of further study.
The filmmakers, however, have assembled the material within in
such a fey, self-satisfied and fanboy-esque ineptitude that i found
myself, after a time, staring out the window and listening, rather
than watching the amateurishly-assembled and shot interview
footage or (especially) the amazingly ill-conceived "animated"
scene breaks. The people responsible for this have no idea of
film-making or pacing; had they no idea of how the silly, repetitive
"animated" scene breaks would grind everything to a halt? Jesus.
If you want to learn more about Dick, fine...you can get some idea
from the material within. But, as film-making, this is an amateurish
embarrassment.
Always (1985)
oh, goddamnit
I shouldn't respond to this movie. Its a mess, technically, structurally, intellectually... Its like a raw, unaudited page from the diary of a heartbroken man.
And, as poetic a sentiment as that may be, it makes for a strikingly self-indulgent, meandering vanity project. But it got to me. A man loves a woman. She loves him. But she realizes she can't be happy with him. So she leaves. And he, in her absence, creates an improbable interim for them to talk, to kiss, to make love one last time. Its heartfelt enough, and odd enough, an endeavor... 7 out of 10 from me...
The Last Broadcast (1998)
imagination trumps budget (mostly)
This film was obviously made for a pittance, and (until a bit of a
let-down/cop-out ending) shows what imagination can do in an
age when everyone and his slow brother has access to filmmaking technology, but so few are able to make use of it
effectively. Its got similarities to the Blair Witch Project, and
predated same, and, while not as monumentally scary, uses the
new media to good effect. This is a well executed, clever and
creepy little film and far worthier of a viewing than anything the
hollywood studios categorize as "horror". Again, while the ending
deflates much of the enterprise, this is an admirable piece of work.
Well done.
Creator (1985)
o'toole shines in a forgotten film
peter o'toole is never an ordinary man in film. i just don't think he can be...and that's not a criticism. there's always something too luminous, too twinkling, too smart and witty. he's at his best in roles like this that let him play someone a little smarter, brighter, more attractive than anyone else. as a nonconformist "mad scientist" so obsessed with recreating his long-dead wife in his backyard lab, o'toole practically dances through the film, his generosity of spirit and warmth making the other characters come alive and his similar generosity of talent allowing room for younger actors to catch that spirit and run with it, if only for a little while. okay, so vincent spano has never been good in anything but a john sayles film, and the wife plot seems to peter out, and mariel hemingway, while delightfully trampy from time to time, seems to be trying too hard...but just watch the scenes where o'toole, chewing on his oversized cigar, playfully undermines his stuffy colleague (a funny, menacing david ogden stiers) or the scenes when tragedy strikes his young apprentice (spano) and he reaches out with the most effective looking comfort i've seen. when the boy emerges from a hospital door and looks to him and o'toole just opens his arms as wide as a church door. creator's not a great movie by any means...but you've probably not seen it and an unseen o'toole performance, especially one this warm and winning, is like a gift.
Choose Me (1984)
the most romantic movie ever made
Director alan rudolph is what is commonly termed an "eccentric. his films are decidely off-center, with characters ruled by quirks and odd obsessions, a committed stable of actors who appear from film to film, a sense of narrative stucture i would describe, charitably, as "loose" and funny, overlapping dialogue- all characteristics he learned from his former associate and master robert altman. when his films don't "work", which is a little better than half the time, it is like poor altman...the debts are too obvious and the deficits as well. but when the mystical alchemy of such a loose, character-driven structure do come together, such as in this film, the result is peerless (even when one of the peers in question is altman, one of the best directors the world has ever produced). choose me has a plot, rife with conicidence, fit for a screwball comedy but its tone, and the charcters in it, wander through it each in his/'her own romantic/personal reverie and the machinations of the plot seem less like a constructed device and more, as keith carradine's mickey states at on point, "just like a dream".
carradine, genvieve bujold, lesley anne warren, patrick bachau and rae dawn chong populate this world, each sad, each lonely and each bearing a burden of loss and pain, meeting and making love, and attacking (sometimes violently) as if according to some inner romantic logic only they hear. ther'es pain, there's loss, there are past mysteries and dark actions only hinted at and, strangely enough in the end...there is hope. which is what love, at its heart, truly consists of. red neon, teddy pendergrass, rain-slicked streets at 2am, a first, unexpected kiss, old movie posters, tough guys bested by tougher guys, an unending cascade of full red, hair, a sudden gunshot and an ending as weird and uncertain as love itself followed by the smile of one who, against all logic succumbs to hope. the most romantic movie ever made. period.
You've Got Mail (1998)
corporate strongarming is cute!!!!
first, tommy and meggy are cute and likeable. ok? we all know this; they are sweet, and likeable and i'm sure they'd have sweet, likeable movie love together. again, ok?
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!
but, jesus god people, do we demand nothing more than this? never mind the trite, ephronious screenplay and the utterly uninteresting situations...but COME-FREAKING-ON...her little, integrity and character-driven book store is bought out by his (obviously) Borders chain....and she thinks its CUTE and CHARMING of him??!?!?!?! she loved her store. it meant something to her. and to think that someone like her would not only forgive the heartless (except in that o-so-charming cutesy nora ephron way) capitalist mogul, but agree to love him and forget her store.. C'mon people. Standards, for the love of all that is holy
Swordfish (2001)
slick fascism
Swordfish is an overly-slick, routine action thriller with some over-the-top, "look what i can do with my spirograph" Matrix effects. Pretty standard stuff except for the utterly right-wing fascist denouement which asserts that illegal, unconstitutional assassination and terrorism is totally justified and all part of the bruckheimerian fun. Current trends toward mindless patriotism aside, this should be deeply offensive to anyone not distracted by the loud noises and big, shiny things.
Straight to Hell (1987)
indescribably, gorgeously awful...
the perfect movie for...well, a house full of overeducated, underemployed guys drinking Colt 45 bullet oys and singing the Weiner-Kid song with joy and abandon. Maybe just the gestalt of the whole enterprise: Elvis Costello, Sy Richardson, The Pogues, Dennis Hopper, Grace Jones, Joe Strummer, Courtney Love... "What the HECK is going on here?!?" "Lets make that Weiner Kid sing his song....Wanna?" "I don't know what love is.....BANG"
yes.