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Movie Recs as of 3/7/11
Cedar Rapids: Every movie with Ed Helms in it needs to have a scene where he sings. I mean, he steals the show each and every time he does it. In this case, it's a parody of "O Holy Night" where the lyrics have been changed to life-insurance-relevant words and the scene (his friends have set him up to sing at the convention talent show without telling him) starts unfolding on a horribly awkward note--will he or won't he sing? How could they have done this to him? But then he starts singing... and it's comedy gold. It's the turning point of this sweet and funny movie, where our hero realizes that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't need to worry quite so much about the decisions other people have made for him. What matters is what he decides to do. The rest of the story, with its careful depiction of the consequences of this decision, is well paced and smartly acted. This movie isn't "in your face" funny the whole time, but it's well-written and excellent for what it is. Seek it out before it leaves your art house movie theater!
The Adjustment Bureau: I enjoyed this movie very much, but there are so many questions left over! The problem is that these questions can only be answered by talking to characters in the movie, which is of course, an impossibility. For example: if Elise wasn't supposed to be with David, why not just kill her? The AB appeared to have no qualms about killing off non-important characters in their efforts to keep our heroes apart. Also: If the AB was going to level with David early on about who they were, why didn't let him know exactly *what* his important destiny was from the get-go, instead of making vague threats and empty promises? And another one: if human beings can't have free will all the time, why bother giving it to them at all? Oh, and: why did the AB rely on such outdated technology and seem, for the most part, like the Keystone cops? Further: If the Chairman can rewrite the Plan at any point, why couldn't she/he/it have written it from the beginning to avoid this whole problem?
Despite these questions and a whole lot more, it was a good film. There is some loving photography of New York City landmarks and gorgeous interiors. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt do have very, very good chemistry together and in the hands of lesser actors, this movie wouldn't have worked at all, since there are all these preposterous questions (see the cut). I also enjoyed Anthony Mackie, who played his part with a nice subtlety and light touch. I do wish more men wore hats like that, if only because I'll be thinking about them and doors from now on.
In the movie tradition of angels watching over us, however, I really do prefer Wings of Desire, which has a beautiful and poignant quality that no other film I've seen has ever managed to duplicate.
Kings of Pastry: For a movie that's supposed to be about a "cutthroat baking competition" in France, this movie has surprisingly little in the way of personal bickering and drama. All of the candidates for the prestigious prize support each other completely and there is absolutely no yelling in the kitchens--a welcome change from American reality cooking shows, where drama and sniping are the current sine qua non. On the other hand, this means that the conflict in the story is relatively muted and the film feels a little flat. The moment of greatest dramatic impact is when one competitor's 3-foot-tall spun sugar masterpiece, constructed days in advance, falls apart. The chef staggers backwards and barely manages to hold back tears, and the judges of the competition, instead of shaking their heads and making frowny faces, rally around him to urge him to persevere and not give up. It's nice to see people supporting each other in such a charged and complicated endeavor... but it's also a little strange, since no one else gets the same treatment. I would have filmed this movie a bit differently, myself, but that's probably just a matter of taste.
The Adjustment Bureau: I enjoyed this movie very much, but there are so many questions left over! The problem is that these questions can only be answered by talking to characters in the movie, which is of course, an impossibility. For example: if Elise wasn't supposed to be with David, why not just kill her? The AB appeared to have no qualms about killing off non-important characters in their efforts to keep our heroes apart. Also: If the AB was going to level with David early on about who they were, why didn't let him know exactly *what* his important destiny was from the get-go, instead of making vague threats and empty promises? And another one: if human beings can't have free will all the time, why bother giving it to them at all? Oh, and: why did the AB rely on such outdated technology and seem, for the most part, like the Keystone cops? Further: If the Chairman can rewrite the Plan at any point, why couldn't she/he/it have written it from the beginning to avoid this whole problem?
Despite these questions and a whole lot more, it was a good film. There is some loving photography of New York City landmarks and gorgeous interiors. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt do have very, very good chemistry together and in the hands of lesser actors, this movie wouldn't have worked at all, since there are all these preposterous questions (see the cut). I also enjoyed Anthony Mackie, who played his part with a nice subtlety and light touch. I do wish more men wore hats like that, if only because I'll be thinking about them and doors from now on.
In the movie tradition of angels watching over us, however, I really do prefer Wings of Desire, which has a beautiful and poignant quality that no other film I've seen has ever managed to duplicate.
Kings of Pastry: For a movie that's supposed to be about a "cutthroat baking competition" in France, this movie has surprisingly little in the way of personal bickering and drama. All of the candidates for the prestigious prize support each other completely and there is absolutely no yelling in the kitchens--a welcome change from American reality cooking shows, where drama and sniping are the current sine qua non. On the other hand, this means that the conflict in the story is relatively muted and the film feels a little flat. The moment of greatest dramatic impact is when one competitor's 3-foot-tall spun sugar masterpiece, constructed days in advance, falls apart. The chef staggers backwards and barely manages to hold back tears, and the judges of the competition, instead of shaking their heads and making frowny faces, rally around him to urge him to persevere and not give up. It's nice to see people supporting each other in such a charged and complicated endeavor... but it's also a little strange, since no one else gets the same treatment. I would have filmed this movie a bit differently, myself, but that's probably just a matter of taste.
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Thanks for the rec on The Adjustment Bureau! A friend mentioned he was going to see it, and when he described the premise to me, it sounded ridiculously silly--then I saw it had Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, two actors who I adore and who usually pick good projects, so I was wondering if I might like it after all. A positive review from you is usually a good indicator that I'll enjoy something, so I'll make a point of trying to see that soon, since it's playing in my favorite local theater.
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