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Some Days Are Better Than Others (2010)
All things considered, a solid movie
This movie won't shake your world necessarily, but it does explore necessary-to-life meaningful themes. It's not super high budget, a thrill ride, a romance, a comedy, or anything it like that. It is probably most realistic in terms of things that real people might actually experience, which might turn people off who would prefer primarily to be entertained or excited by movies (maybe to escape real life instead of examining it? but, we all need that sometimes). It also has a lot of kind of interesting from-the-ground Portland vibes without romanticizing it or purposefully exploring it in any way, which for me I appreciate more than can be said for the vibe I get from some other Pac NW movies (or "Portlandia").
This movie actually has some meaning and feeling put into it, and isn't at all overly or overtly infected with the now declining or completely dead trend of what was once hipster-dom. And, being that this movie came out when it did, it would've been very easy for it to have been made like that, and it most likely would have had much more attention or success. Instead, the people who made this movie chose to make something more honest, and I think that's cool and commendable.
I will be honest, I mainly watched it because it had James Mercer in it (though Brownstein is alright too), and I love the Shins. Never heard of this movie except by accident surfing IMDB. Considering that, this movie could have been a whole hell of a lot worse. So, as a pleasant surprise, I will remember it positively.
I feel like its overall rating is unfair and may turn away people who may otherwise enjoy it. So, don't be afraid to give it a chance, if you can find a way to watch it!
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)
Comfy Van Sant + solid Joaquin Acting = Sincerity
I can see how this movie might not be meaningful to some folks. That is alright.
It outlines pretty well the process of moving from addiction to freedom, from running from your pain to facing it and figuring out how to heal and go on living with hope for the future.
Addiction is rampant in our society whether you would like to admit it or not. You might not be an alcoholic, but chances are you are someone addicted to SOMEthing that helps you escape your pain and bad feelings when they become unbearable. Whether that's being addicted to technology, porn, drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, or just addicted to negative habits of your mind- everybody uses something to buffer out their feelings.
As someone who has gone through and out of addiction, and still struggles with coping with the pain of living and making it all make sense sometimes - and also as someone who enjoys Gus Van Sant, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jack Black - this movie hit home.
Also interesting to realize that Joaquin Phoenix was once an alcoholic himself and went through the same process of getting clean and figuring his life out - you can tell by his acting that there is real experience there and it's not contrived. Real feelings coming from a real person, not contrived.
There's only a small amount of cheese, but it's bearable, because the sincerity shines through brighter.
Mary Magdalene (2018)
It is Our Responsibility to Save the World
Great acting, great perspective, great story.
It is strange that this idea could put a bad taste into someones mouth- that it is OUR responsibility to save the world - pretty much the opposite message of "sola fide" - the doctrine introduced by the Lutheran church that it is only through faith in the divinity of Jesus alone and not through works we achieve "salvation". Centuries of self-identified "Christians" with no real love of peace, truth or compassion at the helm of the West and look where it has gotten us... millions of Christians await Christ's return yet make no serious effort to live by Christ's teachings. That is the sore thumb and the tragedy of many of the efforts of modern evangelists
Ironically, a movie that is supposed to be about Mary Magdalene is the best cinematic telling of the Jesus story that I have seen - it takes care to communicate understandably how Jesus's real teachings could become skewed by disciples who had their own ideas about the way they thought things should be, or would prefer them to be. They helped create in their folly a system of belief which removes personal responsibility and promotes complacent self righteousness in apathy which seems so common today.
The message of personal responsibility is so crucial in these times when it feels like the world is speeding ever so quickly towards irreversible change - where that change is directed is up to us and if we are all sitting on our thumbs we may neglect our own responsibility and contributions in the matter. That someone could be made angry or put off by this idea seems incomprehensible to me
Christmas, Again (2014)
hidden gem
This deserves to get much more attention than it has gotten. Well worth the watch (and I can't say that of many modern movies)
Joe Pera Talks with You (2018)
This show is next level
I very highly recommend you watch it. It is my new favorite show. This stuff is truly breaking new territory. There is nothing quite like it. I hope this show gets the recognition it deserves. True warm and fuzzy feelings in a sometimes scary world we live in
Love (2015)
Very Easily misunderstood
Yeah, the sex is uncomfortable to watch, but the fact that it is shown like it is in this movie is not what you end up walking away with if you became emotionally involved in the plot and the characters - the meaning.
It illustrates pretty well how destructive uncontrollable sexual urges can be - something that someone magnifying the mere fact of the porno-ness might miss. It's not glamorizing sex. It may look glamorous to you on film, but then you watch the characters suffer horribly for their decisions, destroy their relationships, and their lives.
If anything, this movie really illuminates the lesson of "you don't know what you got till its gone"- you might not realize how much you actually love someone until you've hurt them so much that they never want to see you again, or even drive them to their own destruction, and yours.
Good lessons. It's not all about the sex. If you can get past watching people having sex which I'm sure most of the people watching do anyways on the regular, and watch it like there's a message in there somewhere, you might get something out of it
Of course the premise at face value sounds like such a sad money grab - but if you've already watched another Noe movie like Enter the Void and are expecting to be moved, there is a similar payoff or take-away
Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016)
laughed harder than I have of any movie of the past 20 years
saw this on netflix and began watching, going in with no expectations, not much else to do this particular night, and lo and behold, we literally both cried tears of laughter, peewee really shows his colors as one of the best comedic voices of our time. This may sound like intense praise, but please, just trust me and watch it, you will enjoy yourself. You don't have to be a kid or drugged up to appreciate it, it's not the same ol innocent peewee humor as before. Devote at least 20 minutes to get hooked in and let er rip! It seems as though this movie allowed peewee to really come out of his shell. This isn't your run of the mill peewee. This peewee covers a little more adult themes, and this movie has a DELIGHTFUL effed-up-ness to it. A bit more of an edge for sure but that makes it all the more fun. We really had a great time and were very surprised, talked it about it for a while afterwards! If you liked peewee as a kid, or don't even have any conception of peewee at all, WATCH IT! ENJOY YOURSELF! "Live a little!" One of our favorite movies of our new era! Thank you Peewee!
Craigslist Joe (2012)
watch it! very worth the time
not many folks have written reviews so I'd just like to affirm what they have said about encouraging their belief in the goodness in humanity - it has definitely affected the way I view the world.
it's not meant to be some artsy pretentious crap - Joe is honest, and authentic, and he is not preoccupied with seeming cool- you can tell that he wanted to make this documentary for the Right Reasons instead of the wrong ones
maybe this will inspire your own adventure and it echoes of and reaffirms what I have learned on some of my own
good job joe
Wild at Heart (1990)
I don't think a movie can be much better than this, for what it is worth
Call me a sucker. I've seen this movie twice but it is one of my favorites, however I would not consider myself biased due to my appreciation of David Lynch, my own life with a situation of being separated from a girl I love due to her mother, or anything else.
I think the goal of movies should not be solely to entertain, to pass the time, or anything like that- movies like this exist, and some like to watch them only for that value. But I consider those a waste of the short time we have to live.
Movies which impart you with something that is relevant to your real life, and leave you with something, a feeling, some meaning of some sort, some sort of belief in a good thing, these movies are worth the time. That should be the goal of every artist, to make something that enriches the lives of those who absorb it, not degrade.
David Lynch's use of very subtle yet heavy (to those who notice) symbolism, combined with the right moments of comic relief, and the general spirit behind it all really make you appreciate the right spirit for any form of art to be made with. Every artist has something different to impart but I think in the end they all have the same employer. David Lynch definitely creates his movies with some semblance of the things I'm talking about.