Morning, everyone! This week’s movie releases include two projects in which actresses try their hand at screenwriting with very encouraging results, and two movies where directors really should have just walked away. Let’s see if we can figure out which ones are which, shall we?
“Celeste and Jesse Forever“: Rashida Jones co-writes and stars in this scruffy but sensitive study of hipster melancholy, which also features solid work from Andy Samberg, Elijah Wood and Chris Messina. Whoever came up with the name “Yogurt Yurt” deserves a cookie.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”: There’s a third one? I’m not even sure I knew there was a second one.
“Girlfriend Boyfriend”: Yang Ya-che plays with emotions and time in this ambitious Taiwanese drama. John says it has its moments.
“The Invisible War“: Kirby Dick tackles the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military — correction: unpunished rape — with this infuriating documentary.
“The Queen of Versailles”: Glenn spent most of Hot Docs raving about Lauren Greenfield’s portrait of David and Jackie Siegel, a Florida couple who put the “obscene” in “obscene wealth”.
“Ruby Sparks“: Screenwriter-star Zoe Kazan deconstructs the Manic Pixie Dream Girl in a charming and only slightly fantastical romance.
“360“: Hey, remember “Breaking and Entering”? Fernando Meirelles is really hoping you don’t.
“Total Recall“: Les Wiseman updates Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 sci-fi adventure for the digital age; forgets to make it entertaining. Mr. Wiseman, I know Paul Verhoeven, and you, sir, are no Paul Verhoeven.
And that’s everything. I’ve got a fairly busy weekend, but I’ll try to check in with y’all at some point. Go have fun.
Norm, did you take part in the Sight and Sound poll? Any comments on the top 50 list?