Art-House Dramas:
Life Itself –
Documentary/Biography – Jul 4
Plot
Summary: The film looks at the life of film critic Roger Ebert. Key Filmmakers Involved: Director Steve James. Quality Potential: High. Steve James is best known
for his excellent documentary Hoop Dreams,
but he also made the well-received docs The Interrupters
and The
Invisible War and thus should do a good job with the material here. Roger
Ebert lived a very entertaining life: writing movies, commentating on society,
and of course reviewing films. He is probably the most famous of all critics,
film or otherwise, and this is a must-see for those interested in film,
criticism, and the man himself. Trailer: Here.
Boyhood – Drama –
Jul 11
Plot
Summary: This coming-of-age story focuses on Mason, a boy of five years,
and how he grows into a young man. Key Filmmakers
Involved: Writer-director Richard Linklater.
Actors Involved: Ellar Coltrane,
Patricia
Arquette, Lorelei
Linklater, and Ethan Hawke. Quality Potential: High. Boyhood is ambitious
unlike any film made before it. Richard Linklater and his actors periodically
shot scenes over the course of twelve years allowing the actors (particularly
Ellar Coltrane) to grow up before the audience’s eyes. It is a very good drama
that has performed exceptionally well during its screenings on the festival
circuit. It may very well even be an Oscar contender. This is a must-see for
fans of great independent dramas and filmmaking. Linklater has done something
special with this film. Trailer: Here.
I Origins –
Drama/Sci-Fi – Jul 18
Plot
Summary: A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner make a discovery
that could fundamentally change everything about modern society. Key Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director Mike Cahill. Actors Involved: Michael Pitt,
Brit Marling,
Astrid
Berges-Frisbey, and Steven Yeun. Quality Potential: Medium. Mike Cahill’s first
feature film was Another
Earth (also staring Brit Marling), which was a good psychological sci-fi
drama. I Origins looks like another good sci-fi drama along the same lines. It
performed well at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning one of the
feature film awards. It is worth checking out for fans of more cerebral sci-fi.
Trailer: Here.
Art-House Comedies:
Begin Again –
Musical/Romance – Jul 4
Plot
Summary: Dan is a struggling music executive who has just lost his job.
Greta is a young songwriter who was just dumped by her boyfriend on his way to
music stardom. Dan and Greta’s paths cross when Dan hears Greta performing in a
small bar in New York City. Something catches Dan’s ear and he goes out of his
way to try and get an album made for Greta. Key
Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director John Carney and
executive producer Judd Apatow. Actors Involved: Mark Ruffalo, Keira
Knightley, Hailee
Steinfeld, Catherine
Keener, Adam
Levine, Yasiin
Bey, James
Corden, and CeeLo
Green. Quality Potential: Medium. There
are a few reasons to get a little excited about Begin Again. It has a good
cast. It is a musical that does not seem too over-the-top and features a few
very popular musicians in supporting roles. And chiefly, it is a new musical
romance from John Carney who gave us the brilliant musical romance Once
(if you have not seen this, do so). Also, the film was met with mostly positive
buzz at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival (playing more as a
crowd favorite than critic favorite), and it should serve as nice alternative
programing to the summer’s blockbusters – maybe a good date movie. Trailer: Here.
Mood Indigo – Romance Dramedy – Jul 18
Plot
Summary: Colin is a wealthy, inventive bachelor who is deeply in love
with Chloe. Their love could be cut short however as Chloe is diagnosed with a
rare illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs. Colin now must do
everything he can to find a cure. Key Filmmakers
Involved: Writer-director Michel Gondry. Actors Involved: Romain Duris,
Audrey Tautou,
Gad Elmaleh,
Omar Sy, Aissa Maiga,
and Charlotte
Le Bon. Quality Potential: Medium. Mood
Indigo played to mixed reviews when it opened in France last year, but that
said I still think it looks fantastic. It reminds me a lot of another Michel
Gondry film I like a lot called The
Science of Sleep. The cast is also fantastic, featuring many of my favorite
French actors (like Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, and Gad Elmaleh – plus relative
newcomer Omar Sy is brilliant in The Intouchables
and should be great in this too). This is definitely worth checking out for
fans of Gondry’s fantasy-like style. Trailer: Here.
Wish I Was Here –
Dramedy – Jul 18
Plot
Summary: Aidan Bloom is at a crossroads in his life. He is 35 years old
but things are not exactly how he imagined they would be as a younger man. His acting
career has never taken off, and he feels that his life has no purpose. He is
married with two kids, but their education is paid for by his father; however,
things change when his father gets sick and can no longer afford to pay. Now,
Bloom must homeschool his two kids. Spending time with them seems to bring
something out in him that was always missing. Key
Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director-producer Zach Braff. Actors Involved: Zach Braff, Joey King, Jim Parsons, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Ashley Greene,
Mandy Patinkin,
Donald Faison,
Pierce Gagnon,
James Avery,
and Michael
Weston. Quality Potential: Medium. Wish
I Was Here is the long awaited feature follow-up to Garden
State from Zach Braff (ten years), and it looks very much in the same style
and tone. As a big fan of Garden State (it spoke to me at that time in my
life), I am interested to see what Braff has to say now. He crowd-funded the
film (following in the footsteps of Veronica
Mars) and put together a strong cast. The film has been fairly well
received during its festival circuit screenings. It is worth checking out for
fans of Braff’s work. Trailer: Here.
hopefully you can join us for the movie next Saturday. I have been waiting for boyhood to come out for a long time. I am interested in this and have high expectations for it
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