Let me start out by saying I am so excited for some amazing Summer Blockbusters.... Sex and the City, Mamma Mia, The Dark Knight, Wanted, Mamma Mia!, and opening this week -- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
In addition to INDY and friends there are some INDIE films I'm very excited about.
First up is SON OF RAMBOW. It is about 2 british boys who film their own movie about their hero Rambo. Here's the trailer.
Here are 2 films that focus on teen life. The first is a documentary following 4 teenagers going to high school in a small town in Indiana. It is called AMERICAN TEEN.
Next is GO GETTER. It's a coming of age story about a boy ("Thumbsucker's" Lou Taylor Pucci) who steals a car and goes off to find his long lost brother after the death of his mother. Also stars Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone.
And we must have a quirky comedy for the summer. Here's hoping HAMLET 2 delivers. The school is about to shut down the drama department, so the drama director/failed actor (Steve Coogan) decides write an original (very politically incorrect) musical sequel to Hamlet. (Also features Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Elizabeth Shue, and the fabulous Amy Poehler.
Finally, I HIGHLY recommend THE VISITOR. I just saw it this week and LOVED it! The Visitor is the 2nd film by writer/director Thomas McCarthy. His debut movie THE STATION AGENT is one of my favorite films.... EVER!
Both movies have a wonderful theme on the connections we make with other people. Sometimes the most important moments of human connection in our life come from people with whom we assume we have nothing in common. We all live in our own "little world," and are quite happy doing so. I believe these 2 films celebrate the fact that sometimes we need those "little worlds" to collide in order to fully realize our humanity. (Sorry that was either very profound or very Hallmark!) The brilliance of these films is that this is shown in small snapshots of life. They are lessons in the subtlety of storytelling... where so much can be revealed in understatement.
Please check out THE VISITOR and definitely rent THE STATION AGENT.
THE VISITOR - Starring Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira, and Haim Abbas
THE STATION AGENT - Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale, and wonderful Patricia Clarkson
2 comments:
One of things I look forward to every year is wondering which indie film will break into the mainstream. Last year, after Sundance, I could have sworn the breakout would have been 'Grace is Gone'. But it turned out to be Juno. The year before that was Little Miss Sunshine. And then over the years we've had Sideways, Garden State, Lost in Translation, etc.
Anythoughts on what this year's breakout movie will be? I think 'Sunshine Cleaners' might be a hit. Or the Audience Awards Winner from Sundance 'The Wackness'. And This year at Cannes we have Syndoche, New York and Che. It's always fun to see what does well and what doesn't.
"Sunshine Cleaning" definitely has the possibility. Don't know if the darker tones will hold it back though (ala The Good Girl.) I loved "The Good Girl" though, and am excited for "Sunshine Cleaning." Amy Adams and Emily Blunt together sounds great! "Wackness" has gotten great buzz too... especially for Josh Peck.
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