SOOOOO CLOOOOSE!!!!!!!!!
5
EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (2016)
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig
Starring Hailee Steinfeld; Woody Harrelson; Kyra Sedgwick; Haley Lu Richardson; and Hayden Szeto
This film has been missed by many. I still think in years to come it will go down as a classic teen film. It is a modern John Hughes film.
Let me get to it, first time director and screenwriter Kelly Fremon Craig has created a gem here. Perfection.
She does a perfect job of understanding what it is like to grow up in a high school at this day and age of cell phones. The pressure of trying to be liked. The pain of a crush. The self centered behavior of a teenager. The realization of the loss of friends/ friends moving on. Craig has this story so real that often it is cringe-worthy.
This cannot work without good performances and it starts with the lead Steinfeld. I loved her in True Grit. Loved her in 3 Days To Kill. Not so much in Pitch Perfect 2. Here as Nadine she shines. She is in every scene. She is stubborn. Heartrendingly sad. Lost. We see her as a self centered teen, at the same time we feel so much for her.
There are other wonderful performances around here:
Woody Harrelson as the the most honest teacher in high school in years. He cares, but does not want to be in the spotlight. it is hilarious how he just wants to get through his day in peace.
Haley Lu Richardson as Nadine's best friend and then former best friend. Giving a wonderful performance walking a tightrope of trying to keep her friend but at the same time being in love with her friends brother. At first we think that she is awful for doing this to her friend, then we start to see maybe she is not the problem. It is a difficult part that is well played.
Blake Jenner as Darian, Nadine's brother. At first I thought he was ...a dud, a popular High school kid cliche. However as the story moves forward you start to see he is more, capped off with a wonderful lecture to Nadine. it is not an easy part and he pulls it off.
Kyra Sedgewick as mom. She is underused and kind of a cliche. However she is Kyra freaking Sedgewick!!
Then there is a small part played wonderfully by Hayden Szeto. Showing clearly that being awkward in high school is not just for girls. However finding a like crowd can change so much. He takes his small part and makes it big.
I really cannot think of much say bad about this film (Maybe the awkward car scene). It is funny one moment and heartbreaking the next.
Edge Of Seventeen is available on Netflix
4
LA LA LAND (2016)
Directed by Damien Chazelle
Screenplay by Damien Chazelle
Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.
Someone in the crowd may be the one you need to know. So true.
I went in knowing the hype. Fear that the film can never reach the expectations that I was setting.
Wrong!! Everything you hear is true. Lets face it, Chazelle took a chance with a musical. With 2 stars not known for their singing!! It worked!! So well, it stays with you. Plus whenever you see it on the small screen it is hard to turn it off, then you do not watch the end because the end is not want you want, even though...you know it is real.
-Great acting and chemistry by Gosling and Stone. This is their third movie together. They may be the Bogart and Bacall of our day.
-Great look. From the wonderful costumes to the sets, this film is beautiful. Shadows. Colors that pop. Everything.
-Great music. From the amazing opening number, that has you going, wow this is different!! To the final hits on the key of the piano. It is all wonderful and fun.
-Great dance numbers. So good you want more.
-Great story. The story by Damien Chazelle is fantastic. I think a lot of people do not like the ending. Do not be fooled, this is not a love story. It is a story of two people with big dreams. They come together at a time and place and push each other forward. See Way We Were. See Casablanca.
Music, romance, humor.
I will now answer people's complaints:
-They both cannot sing!!! They were not suppose to be great singers, they were not suppose to be perfect!! That is what makes them likable. We can relate to them. They are not locks to be stars.
-A white man saves jazz. Really?? Is that a problem? I don't think people in New Orleans care what color Harry Connick Jr is. And he is not saving jazz, he is just goofy. He wants to own a small club in LA. Please!!
-The double ending. No spoilers here. The one side shows what would happen if things went right all the time. Note: only one would have reached their dreams. The other ending....they both do. Their dreams were too big to reach together. Again it is a story about dreams. Do not be fooled. They help each other.
This movie should have won the Oscar! It was robbed.
Here's to the dreamers!!!
If you have not seen it ....just see it...it will not awaken you to the worlds problems. It is just fun.
3
WILD (2014)
Well if you follow my blog you knew this film would be in my top 5.
There is so many ways to look at this film. Is it redemption? Is it a start over? Is it just a reset of life? Is it an adventure? All are true.
How does one deal with loss? How does one push on? Here is the true story of Cheryl Strayed, after the loss of her mother/her best friend (Laura Dern), she spiraled down hill. Heroin, marital affairs, unwanted pregnancy. Her life was heading one place and sadly most likely it was 6 feet under. Then she saw a book about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and in a rash decision she decided to hike it for 3 months. She had to wherewithal to understand her life was out of control and decided to step away from her life and reset it.
Sounds depressing! Far from it. Yes, sad in parts , but also uplifting, funny, full of discovery.
The movie on its own is fantastic with not only the story, but the acting also:
Laura Dern, is just spot on as Bobbi Cheryl's mother.
Reese Witherspoon is wonderful as Cheryl. It is all her. Her movie. An acting class. A tough personality at the beginning of the hike you see her becoming softer (and thinner) as her hike pushes on. Not only carrying a "monster" backpack but carrying her burdens that at one point even knock Cheryl to her knees.
I had problems at first with the films abrupt ending. I wanted more, like how she made out after the hike. I watched it a second time, and realized after the hike is not what the film is about, it is about what the 3 months and the thousand plus mile hike did to heal her mind and body.
I read one complaint that she looks miserable. Huh? She is hiking for three months losing toe nails! Hello!! Cheryl Strayed just kept hiking forward. A toast with some Snapple and chips to Cheryl.
"How wild it was, to let it be"
"But I got promises to keep...and miles to go before I sleep".
"There is a sunrise and a sunset every day and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty".
Many people do not get this film...I do for sure. Give it a try.
From the shadows as always thanks for your time
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