'Prince Avalanche' Shows There’s Always a Chance for New Beginnings
Director David Gordon Green made a very interesting decision when making Prince Avalanche- he gambled. After previous successes with major studio films like Pineapple Express and The Sitter, Green wanted to get his "indie-cred" back, and so he made Prince Avalanche in secret. On his own, Green contacted his actor friends Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch, and with their blessing, Prince Avalanche commenced production. In fact, no one knew about the project until it had already wrapped.
Rudd (This is 40) and Hirsch (Into the Wild) play Alvin and Lance, respectively, two men struggling with individual emotional issues. Alvin is high-strung and stuffy while Lance is immature and reckless and throughout the film, the guys discover that they can learn from each other. The film opens on a deserted highway, miles from any city or town, with its surroundings burned to the ground. Alvin and Lance appear with equipment geared to paint traffic lines down the interstate highway and from there, the film takes off.
The roles of Alvin and Lance forced Rudd and Hirsch out of their comfort zones, which was appreciated by the audience. Both characters were written as performance-driven pieces and are engaging to watch on-screen. This "Odd Couple" dynamic between Rudd and Hirsch is, I believe, some of their best work as actors. There are only four speaking parts in the entire film and about 90% of them come from Rudd and Hirsch, which would have made the film incredibly painful if they were not being 100% genuine.
I have to hand it to Green: the way he executed the film, this "slow and steady wins the race" mentality gives this indie drama its niche.
The story takes it's time to develop and while it's not the most energizing film to watch, it is visually striking. The camera acts as the audience, the shots are not contrived or forced, but rather simple and melodic. It's as if the camera is purely observing the moment as opposed to creating it. The beautiful cinematography by Timothy Orr should win awards- it makes even the most barren landscape look desirable. Aided with the perfect soundtrack from Explosions in the Sky, Prince Avalanche can be regarded as a visual work of art.
Prince Avalanche would have made a fantastic short film, but as a feature, my only critique is that it seemed to drag a bit. Although I have to hand it to Green: the way he executed the film, this "slow and steady wins the race" mentality gives this indie drama its niche. The slow storyline also works with the environment of the film, a burned down forest in the middle of Texas is going nowhere fast, just like Alvin and Lance. As the forest begins to bloom again throughout the film and nature rejuvenates, it's a reminder to the characters that no matter what loss or devastation one faces, there's always a chance for new beginnings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJGEu268KvI
'I Give It A Year' is Not Your Average Romantic Comedy
Boy meets Girl + They fall in love + They get married= Happily ever after. This is the formula many romantic comedies use when writing a screenplay, and for the most part it works. But when the screenwriter's past work includes Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and Bruno, you know this is not going to be your average romantic comedy.
I Give It A Year tells the story of Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall), a newlywed couple who are beginning their transition into married life. What starts out as a promising future quickly goes downhill. The couple lives in London: Nat works at a PR agency and Josh is a freelance writer. A wandering eye from Nat leads to romantic love interest Guy (Simon Baker), her American client who also shows signs of liking her. While Nat spends her days removing her wedding ring to work (read: flirt) alongside Guy, Josh works (read: hangs out) with his friend, and ex-girlfriend, Chloe (Anna Faris).
Clearly a struggle between thinking with one's heart vs. one's head, Nat and Josh both agree to try to make their marriage last for one more year. While working on their relationship, the humor comes into play in the way these characters are so obviously in love with another person. In a failed attempt, Guy tries seducing Nat during a business meeting by filling the conference room with white doves and a single violinist. The doves poop on her blouse, and while she is upset on the surface, it's obvious that she wishes she could just rip off her blouse off and jump his bones.
We all saw it coming, but it still makes for a laugh or two.
Meanwhile, Josh takes Chloe with him to get a girl's perspective on a set of lingerie he is planning to buy for Nat. The awkwardness that ensues is classic; Chloe tries on a sexy pink and orange lace set and Josh can't help but stare at her boobs. We all saw it coming, but it still makes for a laugh or two.
I Give It A Year is a very mainstream film for director Dan Mazer, which was his intention. "I wanted to do something that was a bit more mainstream and yet which still had the ability to be edgy and a bit shocking," he says. "I am getting older... there comes a point where you don't want to be shocking for shocking's sake. Funny is funny." While I agree with Mazer's logic, I can't quite commit to saying this film is a comedic milestone. It does push the envelope at times- Anna Faris's threesome sex scene was completely awkward and one of the best scenes in the film. The ending seemed to be a varied version of that "Happily Ever After," but unique in it's own way. I Give It A Year may not be that "summer fun for the whole family" type of movie, but if you're looking to break the ice on a first date, I'd say it's the perfect film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od8DhL1hyfw
David Gordon Green and Emile Hirsch on 'Prince Avalanche' [WATCH]
Prince Avalanche is the newest film to come from director funnyman David Gordon Green (past credits include Pineapple Express, Your Highness). Part surreal/indie, part comedy/drama, Prince Avalanche paves the way for that new genre of the "hipster film." Cinemacy talks to Green and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Lords of Dogtown) about the making of the film, the food catering on set in Texas, and the infamous scene that didn't make it in the film.
'The Spectacular Now' is a Classic Coming of Age Tale Mixed With a Shot (or Two) of Whiskey
Cinemacy got an exclusive look at The Spectacular Now during the film’s cast & crew screening this past Tuesday. Hosted by A24 and Flux, the Vista Theater in Los Feliz was transformed into a red carpet affair. Hollywood stars and the "Who’s Who" of industry hipsters packed the vintage theater for an intimate look at the film. Addressing the audience, director James Ponsoldt thanked the crowd for coming and supporting the “little film that could.” He went on to say that The Spectacular Now is not your average coming of age film; in fact, he quoted Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club as inspiration for the project.
The film comes from the same writers as (500) Days of Summer and immediately picks up on that indie rom-com formula that has garnered previous success. Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) plays Aimee Finicky, the Animé loving, naive high school student with dreams of attending college out-of-state and starting over. When she finds her classmate Sutter Keely, played by Miles Teller (Project X), drunk on her lawn one morning, the two spark up a friendship. That friendship quickly turns into a relationship and it is the chemistry between these characters and their own coming of age lessons that the film so skillfully captures.
In keeping with Ponsoldt’s vision of the film, being "not-your-average teen movie," Woodley plays Aimee in a completely natural way. Minimal to no makeup on the lead actress is something most studios typically wouldn’t embrace. The fact that we can see imperfections, the pimples, and the sweat, was a personal touch that is very often overlooked in films, especially those set in high school where the “high schoolers” are in their 30’s and look abnormally polished and put together.
I appreciated the realism of the character's appearance, but I did notice that a lot of the scenes were driven by alcohol- whiskey in a flask, to be specific. Most of the film’s dramatic scenes were because alcohol was involved; the first time Aimee and Sutter meet, their first kiss, prom night, and even when Aimee gets hit by a car were all circumstances which may not have happened without the liquid courage. The undercurrent of this constant drunken state can make it a bit hard to sympathize with these characters if they’re acting out of inebriation as opposed to raw emotion.
The Spectacular Now is a heartwarming film, the visuals of shooting in Georgia translated well, as did the soundtrack with music by Kurt Vile and Ariel Pink. What sets this movie apart from other indie romances is the intention behind the scenes, which could be felt on-screen. This wasn’t the typical “Hollywood” film with character stereotypes or even a storybook ending. Ponsoldt’s vision of keeping the film organic is evident throughout the entire story- from casting choices to wardrobe and makeup, The Spectacular Now may very easily join the ranks of those classic John Hughes “coming of age” tales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDTBLSkUmYk
'Two: The Story of Roman & Nyro' Review
When I was first asked to cover this documentary at Outfest (the LGBT-oriented film festival in Los Angeles) I had made up a certain expectation of the film already. I’d heard the positive buzz surrounding the doc, of course, I would try to go into the screening with an open, unbiased mind. Sometimes we get caught up in what’s “popular” at the moment, whether it’s social issues, Amanda Bynes’ latest tweet, or the newest film. Although I have to say that after watching TWO: The Story of Roman & Nyro that day, I find myself among the ranks of positive voices when I say although not ground-breaking filmmaking, this documentary is equal parts uplifting and emotionally resonant.
TWO: The Story of Roman & Nyro documents the story of Hall of Fame songwriter Desmond Child and his life partner Curtis Shaw as they struggle with finding a way to conceive a child as a gay couple. Desmond, who is best known for writing Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” Sisqo’s “Thong Song,” Katy Perry’s “Waking Up in Vegas,” and Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” (among countless others), is in a committed relationship with Curtis when they meet a woman named Angela on a trip to India. The doc goes into detail about the immediate spiritual connection the three had and ultimately, they ask her to carry their baby.
Since the idea to create this film started with a clear-cut vision, there were ample amounts of home videos and picture slideshows to last the entire 90 minutes.
TWO: The Story of Roman & Nyro is a glimpse at one of today’s “Modern Day” families. The way Desmond and Curtis react to the news that they are having twins could bring a smile to anyone’s face; in the same way that their boys Roman and Nyro talk about their life with two dads. This documentary is completely relatable to its audience with its message of love and family.
Whereas some documentaries happen organically, like being at the right place at the right time, this doc has a plan of attack; TWO: The Story of Roman & Nyro was 12 years in the making, which is a pretty incredible amount of time to devote to one project. Since the idea to create this film started with a clear-cut vision, there were ample amounts of home videos and picture slideshows to last the entire 90 minutes. I did appreciate the film and its message, and even though it wasn’t necessarily edgy or boundary-pushing, overall I found the film to be original and genuine.