Romance
(500) Days of Summer
24/01/10 19:08
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
Reviewed by Mike Attebery
When I was a kid, one of my favorite parts of going to the movies was the feeling that washed over me as I left the theater afterwards and had to slowly regain my footing in the real world. I don’t know if it’s this way for everyone, but for me, movies swept over me and pulled me in, leaving me unaware of time, space, the people around me, or my cares outside the theater. As I’ve gotten older, that feeling has grown increasingly evasive. There are undoubtedly a number of reasons for this. My worries have become greater. My time seems scarce. And most importantly, my standards grew higher. In short, today a movie has to be a whole lot better in order to successfully pull me in. But when one does, you can be sure I appreciate it all that much more, and I can’t seem to stop recommending it to my friends. Off the top of my head, I can think of three other movies that had this effect on me above all others: ‘Wonder Boys,’ ‘Jerry Maguire,’ and ‘Say Anything.’ The latest is ‘(500) Days of Summer,’ directed by Marc Webb and written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Webb.
I won’t divulge too many plot details, except to recount the much cited opening line, which says rather matter of factly that “you should know up front, this is not a love story.” With that statement, I’m afraid I must disagree. Of course this is a love story, only like ‘Prime’ before it, this is not THE love story, the account of the one and only love of Tom Hansen’s life. Rather, Tom’s brief relationship with Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) is but one of his love stories, and one of the steps along the way to, hopefully, the one lasting relationship of his life. What this film really is is a look backwards and forwards, up and down, at a imperfect relationship (as they all are) and the ways memories and feelings shift and change as we look back on them over time. Every encounter is seen from two sides, but really, as the people involved play them back in their heads, the same sides see things in so many different ways, with elements and tones and moods and intentions constantly floating up into view and sinking down into he shadows. That’s the beauty of this movie. Webb and his screenwriters instill humor and emotion and insight into every minute, and though there are a few moments that might not hold up perfectly, for the most part, they keep this movie firing on all cylinders for its 95 minute runtime. Though Summer’s name apears int the title, this is a story about Tom (played perfectly by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and the important ways in which one relationship and the way he examines its conclusion, shapes the future of his life from that point forward. And like all the best films, this time-shifting, playful little film unfolds so smoothly, so effortlessly, that once it’s over, like a kid, you find yourself trying to regain you balance as you get up and move on with your own life.
The Blu-ray of ‘(500) Days of Summer’ features topnotch video and audio, and a few interesting extras. The commentary starts off strong, but eventually loses steam. Watch the film, then watch it again, and see how differently you see things on each repeat viewing. Pick up a copy.
Julie & Julia
24/01/10 19:08
Julie & Julia (2009)
Reviewed by Mike Attebery
Now this was a pleasant surprise! When I first saw the trailers for this film, the account of Julia Child’s life in France, and the parallel tale of cubicle dweller Julie Powell’s attempt to cook each and every recipe from Child’s touchstone work, Mastering The Art of French Cooking, and recount her experiences in her blog, I must admit that I turned to Steph and rolled my eyes. It wasn’t that I’m not a fan of the people involved. Nora Ephron has made some turkeys in her day, but when you have ‘When Harry Met Sally’ on your resume, I can’t help but cut you some slack. A lot of slack. As for Meryl Streep and Amy Adams (who previously worked together in the fantastic film ‘Doubt’), well come on, who could find fault with them?!). No, for some reason the trailer, with Streep chirping and yelping away as she chopped up onions and exclaimed how much she just loves to “EAT(!)” struck me as annoying. After the film had run its course in theaters and eventually hit video,only to receive some positive reviews from people whose opinions I respect, I begrudgingly added the film to our Netflix queue and checked it out. Well, I’ll admit it, I loved it. The Julia Powell storyline did rise a few octaves too high at points, but the portion on Julia Child and the way she handled rejection after rejection as she and her collaborators attempted to find a publisher for their first of its kind cookbook, really hit home with me. Anyone with a creative bone in their body is all too familiar with rejection, and worse, rejection when the person turning you down hasn’t even checked out the work you’ve set before them, but not everyone is capable of handling such setbacks with the class and positive attitude we see Streep’s Child display again and again. Whats more, though again, a couple of moments in the Powell storyline didn’t ring true, (particularly a moment of marital discord that left Steph and I looking at each other and asking, “They call that a fight?!”), the real revelation was the depiction of Julia’s marriage to Paul Child. Talk about a supportive relationship, where as Ephron put it, one waits for the other when they fall behind! We should all be so lucky as to maneuver the challengs of life and love with such aplomb and class.
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to keep working toward a creative goal. If you’ve ever wondered how a great marriage endures. And if you’ve ever salivated at the thought of boeuf bourguignon, I can’t recommend this movie highly enough. The Blu-ray features sparking video and sound and a few interesting extras. Make sure you’ve prepared a nice meal before you pop this one in the player. Pick up a copy here.