Today I went to see "The Runaways" with my crony Stacey. We conquered the wind and rain along the treacherous highway to worship at the shrine of K-Stew and D-Fanning. I am a long time admirer of the Fanning, I think she has some hardcore talent and will actually end up having a lifelong career as a successful actress. I appreciate that she has paid her dues doing controversial flicks *Hounddog* because the box office doesn't tend to favor films with America's sweetheart getting raped and generally shat upon. "The Runaways" is another such film that wont appeal to the "I am Sam" or "War of the Worlds" fans of Fanning's work. The film features Fanning as Runaways frontwoman Cheri Currie,being crass and vulgar while she writhes, wriggles, menstruates and glitters. Many wont be ready to see the 16 year old (then 15) engage in casual and not so casual drug use, scandalous behavior and a little girl on girl action. I on the other hand was more than ready. I was psyched to see Dakota put on her big girl pants and play a total trainwreck of a woman, and she did, and it was awesome. The film should have really been called "The Rise and Fall of Cheri Currie" because the film completely centered around Fanning's character. K-Stew as Joan Jett was such a minor character, maybe it reflects how she took a backseat in her own band. It's fitting that she played second fiddle because her acting abilities just don't measure up to those of the great D-Fanning. K-Stew was a perfect choice and she fit the role of Jett perfectly but the character wasn't any different from her previous hair cut. She was essentially Bella from Twilight with a bad mullet and a backbone who was totally in love with rock and roll instead of Edward. They both have an unhealthy attraction to glitter. The plot of the film was actually a lot slower than I thought it would be. I found it dragged in a lot of spots and there was not a ton of moments that really grabbed the audience. It was sort of a ramble of a film, but it was beautifully shot. Which figures because it was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi. This is Sigismondi's first feature film, her day job is as a photographer and short film/music video director. This being the first film she's written would explain why the plot lags a little and why the film is more beautiful than it is stimulating. She has directed amazing music videos for artists such as The White Stripes and The Cure. Her website is definitely worth checking out: www.floriasigismondi.com I definitely overall enjoyed this film and will be for sure buying it (previously viewed) and watching it again. Ultimately the film's story is very important as it details the experiences of women trying to make it in what is ultimately a mans industry, figures that it would have a female director.
Another film that I discovered researching this film is "Ladies and Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains" This film was also written by a woman, who used a man's name in the production because she was not pleased with the final product. The film features a young Diane Lane and Laura Dern who are a couple of restless teenage girls who start a punk rock band to get out of their boring town/lives. Like "The Runaways" both films tackle the struggles early female groups faced in trying to promote their sexuality without selling it. Both films ultimately bring the concept of "putting out" into question. I'm going to finish this blog with one of my favorite Sigismondi videos and the trailer for "Fabulous Stains".
I thought I didn't care much for this years Oscars going in. There weren't any films that I felt especially strongly about. But as the night progressed and Hurt Locker won award after award I began to realize just how much I wanted Precious to win. I enjoyed Hurt Locker and I thought Jeremy Renner was especially good; it just didn't have the impact on me that Precious had. I feel like for the whopper of a film Hurt Locker is supposed to be it still played it very safe with the material it was presenting, which Precious did not. Precious played with the juxtaposition of different scenes, sometimes jumping into outrageous fantasy scenarios which I found to be amazing and totally audacious. I'm glad that Avatar didn't sweep the Oscars because it illustrated that The Academy Awards still know what truly great film making is. But then Sandra Bullock won for Best Actress... I am one of the few that still adore Sandra's quirky characters (that does not mean I will be watching All About Steve) but in what sort of world does she stand victorious up against her contenders. I guess I'm just going to have to watch this film before I start printing off petitions to have her award reneged.
Some other highlights of the evening for me were:
Jeff Bridges winning Best Actor. I would have been happy with Jeremy Renner but I absolutely adore Bridges and I enjoyed him in this film. Michelle Pfeiffer's speech to him was really touching and his reaction to his win was sweet.
I thought that Martin and Baldwin were totally lacking as hosts, I prefer Jackman's song and dance and I didn't even really enjoy that.
I liked Sandra's acceptance speech, I really do think she is funny. It was also really touching...if your a sappy cheeseball which I am not OBVIOUSLY.
Mo'nique winning best supporting actress, she seriously deserved this. One just needs to see the film to see what I mean but she busted it out for Precious.
Christoph Waltz winning best supporting male actor, I thought he was one of the best characters of all time. He worked it, well deserved win.
Inglorious Basterds should have one best original screenplay, the Hurt Locker was no where near as innovative as this film. The dialogue was undeniably great, big fail Oscars.
Sarah Jessica Parker looked like she just got off a elderly tourist bus from Miami. She's inviting everyone to join her and Broderick after the show for some parcheesi in the lounge, maybe some lawn bowling.
I was so glad when Precious won for best adapted screenplay but the screenplay writer didn't even thank the books author, no one from Precious did. With a film title that long "Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire" you think they'd remember to give her a nod or throw her some cred.
I could have done without the dancers. The Up soundtrack bit was cute but it's like the Oscars are running out of cash for a REAL production and so they hire some hack hosts and go "America likes dancing!" because of the popularity of dance themed television and they decide that in a film awards show they will feature people popping and locking to long assed boring soundtrack scores.
Carey Mulligan and Maggie G were stunnnnnnnning. I totally hate to admit it but Kstew looked pretty good too.
I also personally believe that dresses that you cannot move in should NOT be worn on the red carpet (FARMIGA)
It’s one of my favorite times of year, right up there with my birthday and Kwanza, Oscar season. This Sunday, March 7th, all the Hollywood bigwigs are going to put on their Sunday best and paint the town red (clichés much?!). The Oscar awards are where Hollywood glitz and politics come to hump and produce often predictable but sometimes elating babes. I’ve been planning this blog for weeks but I didn’t want to throw things off by actually updating in a timely fashion so here I am, at 10:48pm on Wednesday night, blurting my thoughts on this year’s award show.
So this year they decided to “cast their nets wider” (whatever that means) and have 10 best picture nominations instead of 5. This makes my life more complicated as I try and watch all the best picture nominations before the big day and I also like to try and guess who’s going to win, naturally. This year I have pretty much spent most of my time trying to figure out who the 5 nominees would have been if they didn’t have 10. My guess is: Precious, Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Avatar and Inglorious Bastards. Blind Side is automatically out because I don’t even understand why it was in, the rest are worthy contenders but I don’t think they really measure up to the five previously listed. Here is where I cover my thoughts on the best picture nominations:
Avatar: As I have stated in my previous review, this film was totally amazing. BUT I don’t think it has all the qualities of a best picture. For me a best picture should be aces in script, acting, directing, cinematography etc. I just don’t think Avatar had all these in spades like some of the other films did. It’s sort of the same reason why I don’t think Titanic should have won best picture back in ’97.
The Blind Side: I didn’t watch this movie, I know that’s me being a snob in the most unforgiving way but I laughed my ass off in the preview. I just don’t understand why something that should have been a TV miniseries on a bad religious network is nominated for best picture. I probably will watch this (without paying for it obvs) and I will eat these words if I’m wrong....which I’m 99% positive I’m not.
District 9: I really enjoyed this film, especially when the dude jumps in the super suit and kicks some ass. That being said, is it really best picture material? I feel like if this movie actually changed anyone’s life then they must have been pretty sheltered prior to exposure to the film. Yes...apartheid IS bad. Points for cute baby aliens though, I could have cuddled the shit outta that little shrimp.
An Education: This movie was so relevant to me personally that it’s hard to remain unbiased. I liked the story and I thought the movie was amazing. Carey Mulligan definitely earned her nomination for best actress; it’s too bad she will wither in the shadow of Gabourey Sidibe in Precious. But considering this is one of her first big roles she’s not doing too bad for herself.
The Hurt Locker: I think this will win for Best Picture, and not because I loved it a ton because for the majority it’s really not my kind of film but because it has all those aforementioned elements AND it’s relevant to the average contemporary North American. Jeremy Renner was a very excellent mild-sociopath and he also is very sexy (can you believe he’s 39?!)
Inglourious Basterds: I believe this film has all those best picture qualities as well but I think that some of the questionable material and themes Quentin was working with will divert him from being a serious contender. I cannot see the Academy coming together unanimously on this one. I enjoyed this film more than Hurt Locker and District 9 and just as much as Avatar but for completely different reasons.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: This is the film I believe should win for best picture. The producer of the Hurt Locker got caught campaigning for his independent film to win because it deserves to more than a “500 million dollar film”. I share the guy’s sentiments, but his film is not the indie flick I would choose. Precious has my vote. The acting is superb, Sidibe came out of nowhere to play Precious and she blew my mind. I would never have guessed that Mo’Nique had the acting chops she displayed in the film. The film was visually stimulating and at times experimental and the plot will definitely slap you in the face.
A Serious Man: I loved this movie but it was not funnier than Lebowski nor was it darker than No Country for Old Men, as I was promised. I was surprised this was nominated for best picture but I was glad to see it on the roster. I guess I would expect the Academy to overlook this sort of gem, I guess that’s the perks of 10 best picture nominations. This film was a delicious spread of oddness, hilariousness, Jewishness, grossness, tediousness and epic mundaness to the point of insanity.
Up: I can see why Wall-E was nominated for Best Picture but while I loved Up, I don’t think it should be nominated for best picture. Any film with talking dogs should not be nominated for best picture, no matter how adorably awesome they are.
Up in the Air: I didn’t see this but I want to so bad....maybe it will change my feelings completely about the best picture nominee but how will I ever know?!?!
Words cannot explain how much I love post-apocalyptic tales of distopian worlds. I love how humans spend so much time thinking of all the creative ways we are eventually going to fuck ourselves over. I loved reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It plodded along only offering little tidbits of information and before I knew it I was completely engorged and totally in love with the boy and the man who continue to travel down the road despite the ever increasing sense that all hope is lost. I read the book in a hurry so I could catch the upcoming film release. The movie was the longest film of my entire life. Naturally I'm exaggerating but the book just didn't translate to film very well at all. The characters looked exactly like I would expect them to and they acted their roles perfectly. The landscape looked as bleak and dismal as I had imagined. The book had an element of surprise that the film just couldn't seem to master. I enjoy film adaptations of novels because I like to see what they add or take out. In the case of this film they didn't do enough of either. I appreciate the loyalty to McCarthy's text but for the audiences sake they could have pumped a little more action into that limp plot. ;) Needless to say, my compadre Jae and I were fidgeting and bouncing around in our seats for about the last 45 minutes of the film. I wished they would just die already and give up, I was already contemplating suicide myself.
It was my boyfriend Chris who was filled with anticipation for "Book of Eli" so I surrendered my Sunday to the cause. Book of Eli made up in spades for what "The Road" lacked in plot and as a result it also lacked some of "The Road"s poignancy. They were surprisingly similar in that the world has long since been burned, there is little food or water, people have become cannibals and criminals to survive, for the most case humanity has been destroyed. They both deal with themes of faith and survival. I came across a few issues in the film though: This seems to me to be a realistic depiction of what your post-apocalyptic family would look like in a world of minimal shelter and sustenance. You can practically see stink lines coming off this sad father son duo. Viggo Mortensen was the perfectly choice for this physically because he naturally rocks the crack fiend malnourished look. This is the guy at the OSCARS! I'm not going to lie, if I saw this guy in the grocery store I'd put my hand over my wallet. And I would definitely purell after any sort of interaction. Now lets compare these grubby little gaffers to Denzel. Aside from his blatant hygiene which they sort of address in the film, his clothes look only slightly weather if not brand new. He looks like he stopped off at Eddie Bauer before taking a hike up Tea Pot hill. I don't understand how a man on such a one track minded mission manages to maintain a nice beard and perfectly quaffed do. Not to mention There is no way there is ANYTHING this nice looking in the post apocalyptic world! I'm glad that in a future with little to no water, chap stick, food or anything of value that there is still: hairbrushes, eyebrow shaping tools, concealer, and mascara. Then again, maybe "The Road" would have been slightly more entertaining if they had brought this little muffin along for the ride.
All in all, I hate to admit that I would way rather watch "The Book of Eli" than "The Road". I would actually probably watch "Eli" again. It was badass while not being entirely cheesy and Gary Oldman is awesome as usual (that guy has some of the best spazz outs in film history). I appreciate that they didn't have any banging going on between the male and female lead which made their relationship more believable and as a result her character way less expendable. I like Denzel, I always like Denzel. He doesn't have a ton of range in his acting ability but the earnestness of his characters makes him very easy and enjoyable to watch.
Oh long lost and almost forgotten blog, how I have neglected you. Instead of updating you with my countless and often unfounded opinions I have: not gone to the gym once, ate an entire box of Ferrero Rochers, nuzzled the shit out of one Sarah Hamilton, and spent every spare second of my day watching a mix of Christmas movies, teen drama television shows and MTV reality shows (ily jersey shore). But now I must atone for my absence by writing a review of ALL the movies I have seen in theatres since my last review. This is a hardship I must overcome to prove my devotion to my little bloglet. Brimming with the sustenance garnered from about 6 Ferrero’s, I will crack my knuckles and give my little fingers a stretch before attacking the task at hand.
Paranormal Activity
Before I begin I should probably inform anyone reading this that Blair Witch Project didn’t really scare me at all. I’m beginning to think that these indie horror films have absolutely no effect on me. I do almost pee my pants from watching Are You Afraid of the Dark and virtually any other horror film but these low budget productions fail to even illicit a squeak. I think it’s because I spend the entire film thinking about the technical side of it all. I wonder how they filmed the really creepy scenes instead of focusing on how creepy they are. Or maybe it’s because my good pal Michele has shown me countless videos and photos of “real” ghosts that leave me petrified at bed time. I am literally clutching the blankets to my neck, heart a’ racing, listening absurdly close for the slightest ghoulish noise. *shudder* Even the Google image search for this post is making me feel a little anxious. I did find the movie a little creepy later. When I was lying in bed alone at the end of the day I started thinking about how very scary it would be if the events of the film actually took place in my home. Then I got it a little. It would scare the bejesus out of me if Chris stayed up all night rocking back and forth and staring at me while I sleep. Or if in the middle of the night something pulled me out of bed by my foot and dragged me down the hall. That’s right, no spoiler alert, I’m a fucking wild card. What I found truly terrifying about this film is the relationship between the two main characters Katie and Micah. Their relationship throughout the film was like watching a train wreck. I find myself thinking; maybe this demon dude who’s stalking Katie night and day isn’t so bad. At least he’s dedicated. Maybe he just sees what a childish, egocentric, selfish prick Micah is and is really doing Katie a favour trying to eliminate him from her life. There would have to be bonuses to having a paranormal boyfriend. Seriously, Fuck Edward Cullen, I am going to date Zoonoo. Yeah, he’s from the 9th dimension of Hell, no big deal. He lives in my attic in some sort of nest and collects childhood pictures of me. Sometimes he gives me foot rubs and we listen to a little Buble (his choice, not mine). He also makes a badass quiche. New Moon
A lot of people have asked when I am going to review this movie, especially since my scathing review of Twilight was a total riot. Am I right?! I am hesitant to even discuss the film because much to my disappointment it was not as awful as the first film. Let’s not get all ahead of ourselves and think that I’m saying it was good. My response to the film is simply “eh”. The “special effects” of this film were better than those of the first film. They definitely toned down the flamboyant glittering and took out the really terrible attempts at making vampires run inhumanly fast. Another reason this film wasn’t brain meltingly awful was that Robert Pattinson was barely in it. He always looks like he’s doing really hard math. I can’t blame the movie for the horribly over dramatic break up between Bella and Edward because it just boils down to the fact the Stephanie Meyer is a hack writer. But I can point out that it seems a little odd that all the first nation characters in the film never wear shirts. I don’t really see why Jacob needs to take his shirt off to pat Bella’s bleeding head; the girl knows how to layer. She can use one of the FOUR fucking shirts she’s wearing. Anyways I figured out a thing or two about these “werewolves”. According to Jacob, they only become werewolves when vampires are about but I think that they simply become werewolves because they don’t like wearing shirts. They always get all hot and irritable before they hulk out and get all wolfy. Maybe they just need to try a more breathable cotton, a little Nike under armour maybe. It’s supposed to keep you warm, yet “wick” the sweat away from your body AND all the creepy Twilight fans can still see Taylor Lautner’s new steroid muscles rippling underneath.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
When I saw the preview for this film I kind of wrote it off as Wes Anderson attempting to keep up with Spike Jonze in the new venture of indie films for young hipsters. And while Anderson may be trying to stay on top of the mod filmmaking game, I believe he has created a very successful children’s film. I am probably sort of the wrong person to review this film since I have never read the book. I’m going to argue that it allows me to be impartial. (pffft.) Anyways, like Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are”, Anderson makes an awesome film out of a relatively simple story. Unlike Jonze’s film, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is ridiculously hilarious. The humour doesn’t seem that different from his other films such as “Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic” etc, but I feel like I laughed way more in this film than any of the others. The best most hilarious character of the film has to be Fox’s son Ash who is curmudgeonly and short. Jason Schwartzman’s dull unimpressed voice was perfect for the character and he was both hilarious and adorable. The film played like a Wes Anderson film, with the same sort of color palette, set design and artistic feel. The soundtrack was predictably amazing and there were scenes that were muted and totally beautiful. This movie didn’t make me want to die a little bit like “Wild Things” did. I think children will actually enjoy it. I also noticed that like “Tenenbaums” and “Life Aquatic” Anderson once again tackled the estranged relationships within the family unit, particularly between father and son. I think it is very possible he is working through some of his own daddy issues.
Avatar
1,167 words, that’s NOTHING! I’m just getting warmed up! I heard about this project of James Cameron’s several years ago. A friend told me that he was working on this revolutionary film that was going to forever change the future of television. And then she told me it was like 4 years away from being released. Back then 2009 seemed so far away. But the day finally came and I couldn’t not attend opening weekend. I gave up on IMAX pretty quick considering I do not feel the need to sit that close to a screen (trust me, my eyes were hurting in the regular theatre). If it was Omnimax it would have been an entirely different story but I saved the 3 bucks and saw it in one of the regular digital 3D theatres (how OLD FASHIONED!) Anyways, I got my favourite seats (back row, isle) and drooled over my companion’s whopper while the theatre filled up. The 3D of this film is pretty insane at first. My eyes were seriously hurting and I felt a little nauseous ( I also skipped breakfast). But the whole “Oh wow it’s entirely 3D” thing starts to wear off after a while and you just accept it and even get totally used to it. This is why it is important for the plot to actually be stimulating. The plot was definitely entertaining. It’s your basic stranger enters foreign world on behalf of his own selfish community, he adapts and learns, he becomes one of them, he fights the good fight and turns on his own kind. I loved “Dances With Wolves” and this film is essentially the same story, with more contemporary issues included, but it is MUCH prettier. I’m not going to pretend that Cameron’s film changed my life in any way. That’s not what he does. “Terminator” was amazing but it wasn’t there to make you look deep inside yourself, it was created to thrill the fuck out of you. Cameron’s geeks created a visual presentation that has never been done before. The C.G and the live action in this film is practically seamless. I have never seen C.G create such life like representations. Needless to say my mind was blown. It’s not even the special effects that made the film so stimulating. The world of Pandora that Cameron has created is so innovative and beautiful. The lights and the colors are totally magnificent. The tribe of the Na’vi people that the film centers on are totally awesome looking. I’m not gonna lie, I was totally crushing, which made me feel a little weird, since they are cat people. I expect some people to not really enjoy the story Cameron tries to tell and some characters are kind of over the top (military personnel) but I don’t think that anyone can deny that the film is totally beautiful and impressive. Cameron pushed technologies to be developed so that he could create this film and I am so insanely glad he did.
One day, during one of the many hours I spend at work languidly leaning against the counter a co-worker cleverly dubbed me “Roger Shebert” and I felt that it fit perfectly. It is no surprise then that I purchased the very first ticket to the very first show of Where the Wild Things Are at the Langley Colossus. After driving for 45 minutes and hurriedly collecting my medium popcorn with just a “spritzing” of butter I manage to get my favourite seats (back row, right side) next to absolutely no one (except my delightful cohort Stacey). Just as the movie began a hoard of children piled in right next to me, whispering, bumping, and munching their popcorn. I was pleased to discover that the adorable little gaffer to my left was named Max, the very same name of the central character of WTWTA. Normally I’m not psyched about sitting next to children, they tend to get restless after about half an hour but I was glad to have a gauge of how much children would actually enjoy this movie. We are first introduced to Max, a little boy rampaging through his house in a wolf suit terrorizing his dog. The scene freezes on Max mid-snarl, jaw agape; this is where the title credit lands, in a child-like scrawl, Where the Wild Things Are. We learn that Max possesses a wild imagination to combat his obvious loneliness. We discover the joy he possesses at school amongst his peers, a camaraderie that is blatantly missing from his life at home. Max longs for the attention of his indifferent older sister and his overworked single mother and in this dejected state he becomes a “wild thing” and further alienates those he wishes to connect with. It is this transformation that allows Max to enter the world where the wild things are. Spike Jonze fleshed out the Wild Things quite nicely, giving them names and personalities. Catherine O’ Hara is amazing as the sceptical, sarcastic and opinionated Judith. Paul Dano is Alexander, the always unnoticed, under-dog of the group. The dopey, slow and loveable Ira is played by Forest Whittaker. Ever present and never speaking is The Bull played by Michael Barry Jr. The feathered, level headed Douglas is acted by Chris Cooper. My two personal favourites were K.W played by Lauren Ambrose and James Gandolfini’s Carol. K.W is mature, quiet and nurturing. Carol is rambunctious and boisterous but also stormy and petulant. When Max meets the Wild Things, they are discontent and melancholy. They exist as a group but they are disconnected from one another. Max lies to them and insists that he is a King and he can keep the sadness away. Initially his promises bring jubilation and joviality and Max discovers a clan where he can comfortably let his inner Wild Thing out. But the movie continually evokes the old saying, “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt” and the flipside to that wild abandon is revealed as competition, aggression and malcontent arises from their game playing. Max incites his legion to build a fort and we discover that each of the Wild Things has a specific talent such as: construction, breaking and collecting sticks, putting holes in things, smashing rocks, cutting trees. Jonze seems to be saying that the sadness can never be kept away but although each of the Wild Things is broken in their own way, they equal a whole, almost like a family. This discovery allows Max to mend his own broken heart (literally) and appreciate his own fragmented family. The setting of this film is exquisite in its simplicity. The gigantic forests, the craggy rocky cliffs, the vast desert sand dunes and the wild ocean are all awe inspiring in their beauty. The lighting of the dark nights, the bright sun, the torrential rains and the break of dawn is absolutely captivating. Perfectly matched is the soundtrack created by Karen O. of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which inspires child-like wonder through its impulsive, liberated and simplistic style paired with children’s choirs. I’m so glad that Jonze decided to use actors in 6-foot suits created by the Jim Hensen Company because I believe it is important for actors to interact with one another. The costumes allowed them to have texture and movement that CG could not create effectively. The kids sitting next to me did not get restless throughout the film; they seemed transfixed by the movie. The younger children in the theatre did start talking and movie around and I think they found some scenes frightening and the emotional scenes very sad. I would not suggest going into this film expecting a massive action packed plot or fantastical over expressive settings because Jonze preserved the simplicity of the book in both arenas. Let’s all remember that the book is about a kid who gets sent to bed without dinner, crosses the sea to where the wild things are, has a wild rumpus, sends the wild things to bed without supper and returns home to find his supper still warm; it doesn’t get more simplistic than that. The viewers and the critics seemed pretty evenly divided on this movie but I’m going to go ahead and jump on the YAY side of the reviews and say that it is one of the best adaptations of a children’s book I have seen in a very long time.
I'm pretty sure Drew Barrymore was my first celebrity crush. It didn't start with E.T as one would expect since that movie came out about three years before I was born but it was her role as Lily in Bad Girls that really sparked my love. I have always been easily enchanted by powerful, domineering women so it was natural that I would love a film featuring a group of cowgirls kicking ass, robbing banks and making their way in the world (this was also during a period of serious horse adoration). Lily was the most vivacious as she was the most fiery and she drank like a sailor and even wore pants. And so clamored to watch Drew's follow up films such as Boys on the Side and Mad Love. She was the perfect combination of sweetness and rebellion. I loved her past her wild child phase and into her America's darling phase when she made films such as: The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed, Ever After and 50 First Dates. I never thought she was especially talented, just really likable.
So naturally when it came time for her directorial debut, I saw the first matinee of the day (12pm) and even passed on the cheap Abbotsford theater to see the film in style, I went big time with the Langley Colossus. My companion for the day was the ever so delightful and charming Stacey. We had both most recently seen Jennifer's Body and I couldn't think of a better film to follow that up with than Whip It. Seeing these films back to back makes me feel like I'm in a twenty four hour (what's the opposite of a sausage fest?), I'm going to be crass and go ahead and call it a pussy party. Drew was definitely more than adequate as a director. She must have been taking notes during all her years producing with her production company, Flower Films because nothing about this movie felt rookie. The plot flowed seamlessly, which is an accomplishment because there are several smaller stories within the larger story. Ellen Page shed her sarcastic quippy wit from Juno and Hard Candy and was just absolutely charming in a vulnerable sort of way. Barrymore make a damn fine sports movie. I was wondering if the roller derby aspect of this film would be a snore, since who really knows much about the sport prior to going into the film. But you are totally drawn in along with Page's character and you may find yourself leaning increasingly forward in your seat during the intense derby scenes. The Hurl Scout team which Page's character Bliss joins is alluring with its killer ensemble of gals. Barrymore herself plays Smashley Simpson, who seems to have suffered a few too many head injuries. Eve plays Rosa Sparks, but she didn't talk much and was almost entirely un-noteworthy. Zoe Bell plays Bloody Holly, some may remember her hanging off the front of a swerving speeding car in Tarantino's Death Proof. She was such a good stunt woman (Kill Bill 1+2)that Tarantino decided to feature her, which makes me like him about 5% more bringing him to a total of 6%. My favorite Hurl Scout was Maggie Mayhem played by Kristen Wigg from SNL, who takes little Bliss under her wing and turns her into a bone crushing roller derby girl. Juliette Lewis is the antagonist of the film, being the leader of the rival team and anyone who has seen Lewis in anything else knows that she is the perfect choice for a film like this. Like Jennifer's Body, Whip It plays with concepts of femininity and explores the relationships between women. I don't want to get all femmy but it feels really awesome to see two films in a row made by women featuring almost entirely women. I find it really inspiring and awesome that after years in the "biz" Barrymore is only getting better with age, rather than sitting on her cash laden ass. The girl is thirty, and she looks better than ever, she was nominated for an Emmy for her part in Grey Gardens (which won three other awards) and she has just successfully completed her largest most ambitious project yet. I suggest that everyone go see this, except for miserable cynics, you can stay at home and judge people on facebook.
