Only and The Education of Charlie Banks

First up is the Canadian film Only. Premiering in Toronto last night, Only is an independnt movie on a shoestring budget with a close-knit crew. The story revolves around one day in Parry Sound when two young kids meet and wander for the duration of the day. First off, the look of the film turned out pretty well considering the lack of funds, especially apparent in the exterior shots. Like most Canadian films it's a gem, but nothing ground breaking. I'd still give it a chance though if you're flipping through the newspaper wondering what to see, since you'll probably never get the chance again. 3.5/5

The Education of Charlie Banks is the second film from Fred Durst. Yes, Fred Durst. People keep trying to tell me he's a smart guy, but I just can't get the image as him in Limp Bizkit out of my head. The film is no Longshots, that's for sure. The movie though raw and engaging, especially because of the acting ability of Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Ritter, plays like Durst read "Film Directing For Dummies". All the shots are basic and absolutely nothing is new. I did enjoy Charlie Banks, but mostly because of the interplay between the two lead characters. 3.5/5

Altman Diaries

Recently I've emerged myself into all things Robert Altman. With each movie I grow more and more sad of his demise. Still, watch more Robert Altman! Yeah you've probably seen the big/more recent stuff - Gosford Park, M.A.S.H, Nashville etc. but here's five more you should check out.

1 - Ready-To-Wear: The humour in this movie is definetely unique and refreshing. Also, it's cool to see al the wicked fashion from the 90's
2- The Player: With tons of cameos you'll find yourself saying "hey that guy!" but don't let that overpower the brilliantly self reflexive plot and the inspiring cinematography.
3 - 3 Women: I've said it before, it's a weird film, but in the best way.
4 - California Split: You can't help but love Elliot Gould in this movie, with all his sceems to win and all his short comings he still remains so resiliently positive.
5 - Short Cuts: more to come on this gem later!

Adventureland and Doc Suggestions

hey hey, so i got caught up with my watchmen list that I haven't posted in awhile. my bad. I've seen a lot of movies since my last post. We've been on a bit of a doc frenzy, some suggestions if you are in the mood are: Our Daily Bread (the lack of narration nuances the images of how farm rendered food is made perfectly). Gimme Shelter is another triumph for the Maysles brothers. Hell House is a Christian fundamentalist doc that is both humorous and frightening. Killer at Large is a doc that focuses on America's obesity problem. Ganja Queen had the whole store stop to watch the outcome of an Australian woman's trail for being caught with several pound of marijuana in Bali. Admittedly I watch the last one a bit ago but it blew my mind.

Adventureland was an enjoyable film. If you were looking for something as funny a Superbad, you'll be disappointed, but the soundtrack makes the film. I kind of have a crush on Kristen Stewart, so seeing her in Lou Reed tees added to the fact that I liked watching this movie. The acting was decently executed, and I left the film being glad I saw it but it's not something I would try to see again.