Extended Movie Weekend.

In an attempt to catch with all the movies I have missed so far this year and last year and as a way to get my mind off my current job situation, expect a whole plethora of reviews. The following films will be included in this barage. 21, This is England, Stop-Loss, The Fall (can't wait), Baby Mama (lol..well it's only fair), The Great Debaters, Recount (I know not technically) and Grace is Gone. Other films may include Starting Out in Evening, 2 Days in Paris and Fall From Grace. And maybe I should watch a another comedy. Maybe also Kung Fu Panda. And I need another comedy. So maybe another comedy.

Review: Gray Matters

.....When you watch enough films a majority of them fall into the category of just okay. I sort of expected the 2006 film Gray Matters to fall into this category. Unfortunately it falls even lower. Into the category dangerously close to loathing, but not quite. Actually the best word to describe it is probably annoying. Annoying as hell.
......The story is of a young women, named Gray (Heather Graham) and her surgeon brother, Sam (Thomas Cavanaugh). Sam and Gray are as close as they can be to one another. They dance to old movies together, live together and as the film’s central plot, fall in love with the same women together. That woman’s name is Charlie (Bridget Moynahan.) Does the superfluous use of gender neutral names bother anybody else?
Ultimately Gray’s coming to terms with her sexual identity is one of the dumbest, most naive representations of the “coming out” story I have ever seen. It is as if writer/director Sue Kramer has never met a gay or lesbian person in her life. To her sexuality is something that just happens one day on the way to work. And I suppose because sexuality is different for different people this is possible. But the feelings she struggles with are so artificial and disingenuous to what “coming out” is really like for most people, that the film is almost insulting to this important struggle.
.......Of course the film’s worse sin is not its ideology, but its basic attempt to call itself a comedy. Comedies are by rule supposed to have in them at least one joke or comical experience. The movie is as devoid of humour as it is of life.
........I could go on. The script is so damn after school special I could hardly take it. The camera work was shoddy. The acting was lame and wholly unconvincing. And frankly the majority of the time I watched the film I kept thinking about one sad reality. And that, dear friends, is that cinema geared to toward gay and lesbian audiences generally sucks. I know that sounds cold and there are many wonderful expectations. But films like this fuel the stereotype that self deemed “gay cinema” is really awful. I think you could argue that the film is more user friendly than other gay fare and may fit more firmly in the “quirky indie” world, but still it helps naysayers prove their point. And while it is not in the job description of the film’s artists to fight naysayers, Sue Kramer and this stupid little film sure are helping their cause.
.........Wow, sorry Sue. I promise I will watch your next film and wish you the best of luck.

Review: Sex and the City: The Movie

Jack Smith is an avant-garde filmmaker best known for his short film “Scorpio Rising.” We discussed the film in a class once in relation to a variety of concepts within the avant-garde filmmaking process. One the most crucial concepts was called “camp.” Most of us are familiar with this concept from a variety of sources. However what made Jack Smith different was his theory on why camp exists. His theory is that the artificiality of camp is a comment on the artificiality of heteronormative society. And perhaps you may accuse me of being an apologist, but to me Sex and the City: The Movie celebrates this artificiality and materialism to in some way note the artificiality and the “labels” of expected polite societal constructs. In other words in the places where Sex and the City is somewhat shallow it is being no more shallow then society as a whole. Yes every scene of the film was an advertisement for some product, everything from cars and water to of course the fancy shoes and dresses, but it does this without irony and without apology and in some crazy and decidedly capitalist sense of the word embraces its own nature admirably.

Now that that serious part of the review is over, let’s wallow like a pig in the entertainment that this glorious film truly is. I am a fan of the show and if you are not a fan of the show two things are likely to happen. One, you fall in love with these amazing women and their men and you are forced to run out and buy the seasons. Or, two you’re confused, scratch your head and wonder if that Hancock flick will be any good.

The story is simple and cliché. Carrie Bradshaw, our love writer, hero superwomen is about to write a book about what happens after you find the person that is supposed to be the love of your life. And that theme, of looking beyond the fairy tale endings is a prominent feature in all of the story lines. For Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) it is about reconciling between expectations and reality. For Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) it’s about dealing with a loss of trust with your fairy tale prince, Steve (David Eigenberg.) For Samantha (Kim Catrall) it is about embracing her “inner princess” and deciding to live honestly. And for Charlotte, well she doesn’t do much, but live the dream and suffer one embarrassing moment in Mexico. Of course I will let you discover that scene for yourself.

Ultimately the film breaks no cinematic ground, says nothing new about society or in fact serves any purpose other than to entertain us. And ultimately is that not what we fans kind of wanted anyway? Perhaps we can lament the fact the television show did break ground, where the movie does not. The show was a groundbreaking, frank depiction of sex and the single women, but the movie is something we have seen before. This fact and the fact that Anthony (Mario Catone) is in the film are the only negatives that come to mind.

Before I leave this review I want to make mention of one more thing. The idea that your gender or sexuality should be responsible for deciding whether or not you are allowed to enjoy a film is stupid. I know it makes for a good joke, but there are most assuredly straight men everywhere who will find something to enjoy in this film, even if it is only boobs.

Oh and one more thing. I freaking’ love Jennifer Hudson’s performance. I know there are many people who did not, but I quite liked it and look forward to whatever else she may have planned in her acting or singing future.