This was the kind of movie I had to be in exactly the right mood to watch, which is why I waited so long to see it. I'm glad I did. Both wait and see it, that is. I'm glad I waited because being in the right frame of mind was key to my enjoyment. And I'm glad I saw it because it's a cute movie.
For those of you even more behind than I am, Pitch Perfect is about rival acapella (yes, I'm using that rather than "a capella") groups at the fictitious Barden University, supposedly in Atlanta, Georgia, but filmed in Louisiana. The male group is the Treble Makers, and the female group is the Barden Bellas. There are actually two other acapella groups at the school, but they're mere blips in the story. And doesn't four seem like a lot?
Anyway, central to the story is Beca, who is going to Barden free because her dad is a professor there. But what she really wants to do is jet off to L.A. and try her hand at becoming a professional DJ. Her love is mixing music. Beca's dad tells her that, if he sees her really put in an effort to join in the college life and she still doesn't love it after freshman year, he'll help settle her in L.A. So, after being accosted in the communal shower, Beca tries out for and joins the Bellas.
Whoever wrote this—and I believe it's based on a book?—really liked the letter "B."
Beca also strikes up a friendship with Jesse, who in turn becomes a member of the Treble Makers. Bellas are forbidden from fraternizing with Trebles. You'd think this would cause a bunch more tension in the film, but surprisingly it doesn't really add much to the story at all.
A couple things stuck out to me while watching. One, Jesse is a bit of an asshole for dropping Beca when she won't take it to the next level with him. Okay, yes, she gets bitchy. But when she apologizes, he won't accept it. If he at least valued her as a friend, he would relent. But there's a definite sense that he doesn't forgive her basically because she won't be his girlfriend and kiss him or sleep with him or whatever. Like, he was her friend for as long as he felt he had a shot. Once it was clear he didn't, he dropped her.
On the flip side, though, turning the trope on its head is Beca having to win Jesse over rather than the boy winning the girl. And that's kind of fun.
The core story is of the groups competing through various levels of regional/state/whatever singing competitions. Very standard for the genre. And I do think competition films are their own genre of sorts. Dodgeball, for example. Bring It On and Step Up and all those types of films. They're basically underdog movies, right? Pretty formulaic. But because I actually love to sing (did a bit of it as an undergrad myself), I was more engaged in Pitch Perfect than I might have been in other such films. I found Beca refreshingly unaffected and the supporting cast of characters charming and funny. I could do without the vomit (yech), but other than that, I found it to be a cut movie overall.
A second film is due out next May. I don't know if I'd make it a point to see it in the cinema, but . . . Maybe if the mood strikes me just right . . .
Showing posts with label teen films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teen films. Show all posts
11.30.2014
7.18.2013
Movies: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I read this book way back when, but by the time I got around to the film version I only had the vaguest recollection of the story itself. The novel left more of an impressionistic memory rather than anything vivid and detailed. Which isn't to say it wasn't good; I recall liking it quite a bit at the time. But I've slept and read and done a lot of other things since then.
In short, I can't now pick apart The Perks of Being a Wallflower (film) in comparison to the book because I don't remember enough of the book to make a comparison.
What I can say is that the movie does a better-than-average job of tapping into the adolescent experience. Even though the protagonist Charlie is more awkward even than the typical teen, the whole of the movie is accessible to anyone who has lived through (or perhaps is currently living through) that terrible transition from childhood to adulthood. And Charlie is an extreme example of how some bloom later than others.
There isn't much plot in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and in most movies that would be a serious problem. But what this one explores is Charlie's freshman year of high school. He starts as a friendless loner and stumbles into an odd group of comrades that bring new dimensions to his otherwise flat life. Viewers follow Charlie through the ups and downs of negotiating the strange world of teen interaction (and he has one good English teacher, played by Paul Rudd, to help him along). This is interesting enough to keep viewers watching.
On top of this are layers of narrative not fully formed. More like when you buy something and try to pull the price sticker off and it only comes away in tiny, sticky flakes. We discover Charlie did have a best friend, but that this friend committed suicide. That he had a beloved Aunt Helen. That he sometimes has mental episodes and blacks out.
Besides Charlie we get a solid showing of supporting players: the secretly gay guy (and his even more secretly gay jock boyfriend), the rich girl, the stoner, etc. They sound like stereotypes and caricatures but in The Perks of Being a Wallflower they are given proper depth and feeling. These are the people you knew in school, or if you're still in school, these are the people you know, or at least know of.
Truly, in terms of films, this is one of the better ones I've seen in a long time. The first 20 to 30 minutes are rocky, but maybe that just reflects Charlie's instability; once he meets Sam and Patrick, the film pulls together just as Charlie does, and from there on out it is a fine film very much worth its 102 minutes.
In short, I can't now pick apart The Perks of Being a Wallflower (film) in comparison to the book because I don't remember enough of the book to make a comparison.
What I can say is that the movie does a better-than-average job of tapping into the adolescent experience. Even though the protagonist Charlie is more awkward even than the typical teen, the whole of the movie is accessible to anyone who has lived through (or perhaps is currently living through) that terrible transition from childhood to adulthood. And Charlie is an extreme example of how some bloom later than others.
There isn't much plot in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and in most movies that would be a serious problem. But what this one explores is Charlie's freshman year of high school. He starts as a friendless loner and stumbles into an odd group of comrades that bring new dimensions to his otherwise flat life. Viewers follow Charlie through the ups and downs of negotiating the strange world of teen interaction (and he has one good English teacher, played by Paul Rudd, to help him along). This is interesting enough to keep viewers watching.
On top of this are layers of narrative not fully formed. More like when you buy something and try to pull the price sticker off and it only comes away in tiny, sticky flakes. We discover Charlie did have a best friend, but that this friend committed suicide. That he had a beloved Aunt Helen. That he sometimes has mental episodes and blacks out.
Besides Charlie we get a solid showing of supporting players: the secretly gay guy (and his even more secretly gay jock boyfriend), the rich girl, the stoner, etc. They sound like stereotypes and caricatures but in The Perks of Being a Wallflower they are given proper depth and feeling. These are the people you knew in school, or if you're still in school, these are the people you know, or at least know of.
Truly, in terms of films, this is one of the better ones I've seen in a long time. The first 20 to 30 minutes are rocky, but maybe that just reflects Charlie's instability; once he meets Sam and Patrick, the film pulls together just as Charlie does, and from there on out it is a fine film very much worth its 102 minutes.
1.07.2013
Movies: Hackers
Friends were amazed I had missed this movie when it came out in 1995. But really, besides the fact that I was in film school and getting spoon fed so many films that I hardly went out to see anything current at the time, Hackers wasn't the kind of movie I would have liked anyway. I remember liking Stargate in '94, and of course Interview with the Vampire (also '94), but in 1995 I didn't go see any of the big movies. I didn't see things like Se7en and Die Hard with a Vengeance until much, much later, and I've still never seen Apollo 13. The only reason I even saw GoldenEye was my dad took me over Thanksgiving break. But teens and computers? It was something I was already living with and therefore didn't need to see a movie about.
Still, when Hackers recently aired on one of the movie channels during the holiday break, I decided to give it a try. It's a ridiculous movie, but I'm having trouble discerning if that's because it's so out of date, or if it was just as dumb in 1995 as it is in 2013. In truth, I found the wardrobe the most distracting thing. I'm not into trends, prefer "classic" styles, but I'm still pretty sure no one dressed like that. No one I knew, anyway, but maybe I just knew all the wrong people—or the right ones, depending on how you look at it. Or maybe they only dressed like that in New York, which is quite possible; New York tends to do its own thing regardless of the rest of the world. If that's the case, then in 1995 New York was really ugly.
The plot of the movie itself was a tad convoluted, but I also wasn't paying 100% attention because I had my laptop in front of me. Apparently the main character Dade (the screenwriter was from Miami) did some terrible hackerish thing with a computer when he was really young and—like Sleeping Beauty and the spindle—was sworn to keep away from computers until he reached the age of 18. Because of course he wouldn't be able to do anything bad then. Or he'd be so grateful to be allowed to play computer games that he would never, ever risk his electronic freedom by doing anything bad ever again. The end.
No, of course not. Skipping ahead (and therefore neatly sidestepping the question of how a kid manages to avoid all contact with computers in the age of ever-growing technology, and also whether he actually did do as he was told), we find Dade (played by Jonny Lee Miller trying to look a bit like Sting from what I could tell) reaching his majority and moving to New York with his mother all at the same time. He navigates the difficulties of starting at a new school and falls in with a group of—title check!—hackers. Apparently despite not being allowed access to any computers, Dade has made it a point to read up on them and keep abreast of all developments so that he's able to jump right in and start hacking without even being rusty.
The story devolves from there into something about an evil Fisher Stevens (hacker name: Plague) doing underhanded hack work for some corporation in an attempt to extort millions of dollars as a quick payday. He tries to frame Dade & Co. for the bad stuff he's doing, but of course those wily teens call together an army of hackers from all corners of the earth to thwart Plague and send him down. In a "clever" twist on old-versus-young, Plague rides a skateboard while Dade and the other teenagers Rollerblade their way through the film. (No, it's not really clever. That's why I used quote marks.) Funniest moment: Plague skateboarding alongside a limousine to snatch a floppy disk from Dade's hand.
Yeah, remember floppy disks? I still have a bunch and no way to pull the data off them at the moment . . . Maybe I should call Dade for that?
I guess Hackers is considered some kind of classic in certain circles, but I didn't find it all that interesting, even from a film history or nostalgic point of view. Maybe as a marker in cultural history? With technology changing and advancing so rapidly, movies like Hackers fall into a very specific moment in time. As such, they remain kinds of monoliths to mark our progress. But really, this is an artifact I don't feel the need to ever revisit.
Still, when Hackers recently aired on one of the movie channels during the holiday break, I decided to give it a try. It's a ridiculous movie, but I'm having trouble discerning if that's because it's so out of date, or if it was just as dumb in 1995 as it is in 2013. In truth, I found the wardrobe the most distracting thing. I'm not into trends, prefer "classic" styles, but I'm still pretty sure no one dressed like that. No one I knew, anyway, but maybe I just knew all the wrong people—or the right ones, depending on how you look at it. Or maybe they only dressed like that in New York, which is quite possible; New York tends to do its own thing regardless of the rest of the world. If that's the case, then in 1995 New York was really ugly.
The plot of the movie itself was a tad convoluted, but I also wasn't paying 100% attention because I had my laptop in front of me. Apparently the main character Dade (the screenwriter was from Miami) did some terrible hackerish thing with a computer when he was really young and—like Sleeping Beauty and the spindle—was sworn to keep away from computers until he reached the age of 18. Because of course he wouldn't be able to do anything bad then. Or he'd be so grateful to be allowed to play computer games that he would never, ever risk his electronic freedom by doing anything bad ever again. The end.
No, of course not. Skipping ahead (and therefore neatly sidestepping the question of how a kid manages to avoid all contact with computers in the age of ever-growing technology, and also whether he actually did do as he was told), we find Dade (played by Jonny Lee Miller trying to look a bit like Sting from what I could tell) reaching his majority and moving to New York with his mother all at the same time. He navigates the difficulties of starting at a new school and falls in with a group of—title check!—hackers. Apparently despite not being allowed access to any computers, Dade has made it a point to read up on them and keep abreast of all developments so that he's able to jump right in and start hacking without even being rusty.
The story devolves from there into something about an evil Fisher Stevens (hacker name: Plague) doing underhanded hack work for some corporation in an attempt to extort millions of dollars as a quick payday. He tries to frame Dade & Co. for the bad stuff he's doing, but of course those wily teens call together an army of hackers from all corners of the earth to thwart Plague and send him down. In a "clever" twist on old-versus-young, Plague rides a skateboard while Dade and the other teenagers Rollerblade their way through the film. (No, it's not really clever. That's why I used quote marks.) Funniest moment: Plague skateboarding alongside a limousine to snatch a floppy disk from Dade's hand.
Yeah, remember floppy disks? I still have a bunch and no way to pull the data off them at the moment . . . Maybe I should call Dade for that?
I guess Hackers is considered some kind of classic in certain circles, but I didn't find it all that interesting, even from a film history or nostalgic point of view. Maybe as a marker in cultural history? With technology changing and advancing so rapidly, movies like Hackers fall into a very specific moment in time. As such, they remain kinds of monoliths to mark our progress. But really, this is an artifact I don't feel the need to ever revisit.
4.04.2009
Movie Review: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena
Directed By: Peter Sollett
Written By: Lorne Scafaria (from the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan)
Sony/Columbia, 2008
PG-13; 90 minutes
5 stars (out of 5)
_______________________________________________________
Those who miss those 80s teen life films by John Hughes, and those who enjoy Cameron Crowe--especially when he's dealing with music--will surely love Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which is as endearing as any of the aforementioned sorts of movies without trying to be "retro" or nostalgic.
The story is simple: Cera plays Nick, a would-be musician, if only his gay bandmates would settle on a name for their band. Norah (Dennings) is the reluctant daughter of a recording studio exec. They meet while out searching for Where's Fluffy?--an elusive band rumored to be playing somewhere in the city that night. In the midst of all this is (a) Nick's ex-girlfriend for whom he's been pining and moping, (b) Norah's friend Caroline who is drunk and lost in the city, (c) a pseudo-boyfriend of Norah's who is evidently mostly enjoying her company for the perks her big wig father can extend, including free meals and a potential recording contract.
The movie is set and filmed in New York, and unlike in some movies in which NYC = generic city setting, here the city is a character in its own right, and people familiar with New York will admire its role as the group of teens maneuvers through the streets and in and out of clubs, diners and other sites. The actors, too, were pitch perfect in their portrayals; it would have been easy for several to go over the top, but clearly the direction was key and spot on. (As an aside, however, I would like to say that as much as I like Michael Cera, and as perfect as he was here, I'd like to see him stretch himself a bit in the future. I feel as if I've seen him do the same kind of thing many times over.)
One warning about this film: if you have a delicate gag reflex (which I do), you'll want to cover your eyes or leave the room when Caroline goes into the bus terminal bathroom. And you'll be fervently wishing someone would throw that gum away.
Directed By: Peter Sollett
Written By: Lorne Scafaria (from the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan)
Sony/Columbia, 2008
PG-13; 90 minutes
5 stars (out of 5)
_______________________________________________________
Those who miss those 80s teen life films by John Hughes, and those who enjoy Cameron Crowe--especially when he's dealing with music--will surely love Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which is as endearing as any of the aforementioned sorts of movies without trying to be "retro" or nostalgic.
The story is simple: Cera plays Nick, a would-be musician, if only his gay bandmates would settle on a name for their band. Norah (Dennings) is the reluctant daughter of a recording studio exec. They meet while out searching for Where's Fluffy?--an elusive band rumored to be playing somewhere in the city that night. In the midst of all this is (a) Nick's ex-girlfriend for whom he's been pining and moping, (b) Norah's friend Caroline who is drunk and lost in the city, (c) a pseudo-boyfriend of Norah's who is evidently mostly enjoying her company for the perks her big wig father can extend, including free meals and a potential recording contract.
The movie is set and filmed in New York, and unlike in some movies in which NYC = generic city setting, here the city is a character in its own right, and people familiar with New York will admire its role as the group of teens maneuvers through the streets and in and out of clubs, diners and other sites. The actors, too, were pitch perfect in their portrayals; it would have been easy for several to go over the top, but clearly the direction was key and spot on. (As an aside, however, I would like to say that as much as I like Michael Cera, and as perfect as he was here, I'd like to see him stretch himself a bit in the future. I feel as if I've seen him do the same kind of thing many times over.)
One warning about this film: if you have a delicate gag reflex (which I do), you'll want to cover your eyes or leave the room when Caroline goes into the bus terminal bathroom. And you'll be fervently wishing someone would throw that gum away.
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