Can You Be More Menacing?
August 16th – August 22nd
Greenberg — While I haven’t even seen Noah Baumbach’s first three films, I have really liked his last three (The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding, Greenberg). Sure, they are populated with nasty characters. But to me nastiness isn’t the same as unsympathetic. I think we’re all nasty. Maybe we’re nasty in the privacy of our own homes, or amidst failed relationships, but it is a common human trait nevertheless. To see these caustic characters on screen is to remind us of our own short-comings. I’ve heard the complaint about Baumbach films that nobody would want to spend time with Bernard, Margot, or Roger in real life so why would they want to spend time with them at the theater (or at home). I think movies (or all of art, really) are supposed to make us feel, not simply to make us feel good (or happy). Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is a pain in the ass. But his life is kind of heartbreaking. And, because we are given minimal information as to the full extent of his nervous breakdown, we’re unsure of the seriousness of his emotional problems. It certainly makes judgment of Roger more difficult.
And I’ll go ahead and take this opportunity to jump on the Greta Gerwig bandwagon. She is delightful to look at without being movie star gorgeous. And she delivers a strong performance as the assistant to Roger Greenberg’s brother. I look forward to looking at some of those small movies she’s already done and what she’ll do in the future (she’ll be Russell Brand’s love interest in the upcoming Arthur remake).
American Movie — Finally got around to seeing this documentary classic from Chris Smith. The first question I had upon seeing this was to ask whether this was real. For a decent portion of the film, I was convinced that this was a mockumentary. Like with Anvil! The Story of Anvil, the subjects of the documentary don’t simply appear to be idiosyncratic characters so much as seemingly comically-crafted inventions that serve some broader satirical purpose. But alas these are apparently real people (though they still may act to serve a broader satirical purpose). And Smith, the film’s director, does treat them like real people. Sure we see the film’s central character, Mark Borchardt, almost seeming to take advantage of his frail grandfather. But at the same time, we see him in tender moments with him, as when he is helping him to bathe. Taking advantage of people AND having tender moments are what human relationships are all about, right?
The second question I had was to ask myself if I would ever be able to make a movie better than Coven (which could be seen in its entirety as a special feature on the DVD). I’ve seen worse short films than Coven. It’s something that wouldn’t be entirely out of place in the Midnight Shorts section at deadCENTER. And if it were cut down, it actually might be kind of good. It also proves that passion may drive a movie more than money or talent. Unless you’re particularly rich or well-placed, passion seems to be the essential force in actually getting a movie made. All the other stuff falls in place thereafter. Sure, budget and talent may affect quality…but they’re not the necessary component.
amen to the passion statement.