Sunday, November 1, 2015

Quickies: November 2015




Like Sunday, Like Rain (2014) ✭✭✭✭
Starz and NFLX DVD

This is the kind of precious production that screams American Indie, but it's one of the best films I've seen this year. Leighton Meester stars as a heartbroken 25-ish hipster who's just tossed her philandering boyfriend's Stratocaster out the window, and has generally lost her way in this world. Desperate, she takes a job as a nanny to a reclusive 12 year old music prodigy and math genius (the impressive Julian Shatkin). They slowly build a strong connection, and draw a special sort of spiritual inspiration from each other. This is a quiet and delicate drama but Frank Whaley has his script and direction dialed-in just right.







Terre battue (2014) ✭✭✭½
TV5

Produced by the Dardenne Brothers, this film by Stephane Demoustier owes much to them in terms of look and feel. This story of a young tennis prodigy caught in the squabbles of his feuding parents is slight, but the glorious grumbles and huffs of Olivier Gourmet make it work.






Not My Type (2014) ✭✭✭½
TV5

Not My Type is also not quite the bouncy rom-com the poster makes it appear. This is a serious film about the pitfalls of romantic expectations and the quick evaporation of trust. The ending feels like a Hail Mary pass as time runs out, but Emilie Dequenne is wonderful throughout.





Quickies: November 2015




Like Sunday, Like Rain (2014) ✭✭✭✭
Starz and NFLX DVD

This is the kind of precious production that screams American Indie, but it's one of the best films I've seen this year. Leighton Meester stars as a heartbroken 25-ish hipster who's just tossed her philandering boyfriend's Stratocaster out the window, and has generally lost her way in this world. Desperate, she takes a job as a nanny to a reclusive 12 year old music prodigy and math genius (the impressive Julian Shatkin). They slowly build a strong connection, and draw a special sort of spiritual inspiration from each other. This is a quiet and delicate drama but Frank Whaley has his script and direction dialed-in just right.







Terre battue (2014) ✭✭✭½
TV5

Produced by the Dardenne Brothers, this film by Stephane Demoustier owes much to them in terms of look and feel. This story of a young tennis prodigy caught in the squabbles of his feuding parents is slight, but the glorious grumbles and huffs of Olivier Gourmet make it work.






Not My Type (2014) ✭✭✭½
TV5

Not My Type is also not quite the bouncy rom-com the poster makes it appear. This is a serious film about the pitfalls of romantic expectations and the quick evaporation of trust. The ending feels like a Hail Mary pass as time runs out, but Emilie Dequenne is wonderful throughout.





Roma (2018) ✭✭✭✭✭

Alfonso Cuarón’s directorial career has dealt with everything from updated Dickens ( Great Expectations ) to twisted coming of age ( Y Tu Ma...