And for today we have a trio of flicks that couldn't be more different. They were all good'uns, yet all tackle very different themes and approaches. One is a heady dissection of our culture's obsession with celebrities, one is a humorous look at a bachelor's misadventures in love, and the other is a harrowing tale of small-town life gone awry.
The first is another Woody Allen film and it is called Celebrity (1998). Here Woody enlists the help of one of his most star-studded casts with Kenneth Branagh in the leading role. Branagh is known for his work successfully adapting Shakespearean plays and here he channels Allen to a "T" and plays a neurotic and nebbish journalist who runs away from his wife and chases after his fantasies to find the identity he's been hoping was lurking inside him. The movie tackles a lot of our hang-ups and notions about celebrities and fame. It is very fun at times, and at times it is a lucid call-out of our inane posturing when it comes to famous people. A very worthwhile entry into the Allen portfolio.
The Baxter is a smart romantic comedy from Michael Showalter who is one of the dudes responsible for the summer camp send up Wet Hot American Summer. This tracks a baxter (a nice guy who always gets rained on) and his search for Mrs. Baxter. He, like any guy, gets caught up in the instant beauty of a very pretty Elizabeth Banks, and doesn't realize that Michelle Williams's character is fawning all over him and would be perfect for him. It sounds kind of schlocky, but if you are a fan of Showalters sleepy dramatic comedy, then you will probably drool all over the couch, and that's gross. But seriously, the movie is really funny. I watched it twice in a row.
The eerily gorgeous Shotgun Stories is the first entry (hopefully of many) by the up-and-comer Jeff Nichols who just happens to be the brother of Lucero frontman Ben Nichols (who does the soundtrack). This is a tale of deep seeded hate and loyalty bred out of rural Arkansas soil. This is a tale of step-brothers who couldn't be less like family and their vigor in making it stay that way. This was one of the most destructively beautiful films I've seen in a while and Nichols seems to be one of those guys falling in line with the Terrance Malik crew, which shouldn't come as a surprise seeing as how David Gordon Green produced it. The acting is superb and pitch-perfect as is the story. The way Nichols captures the mood and the restlessness of his characters is breathtaking. This is one of the better films I've seen in quite a while.Ratings:
Celebrity- B+
The Baxter- B
Shotgun Stories- A
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