Like Crazy

Director and co-writter Drake Doremus and cinematographer John Guleserian, deliver elementally, a film depicting first love. "Like Crazy" is so delicate and natural it was truly a joy to watch.

It has been my experience that first love can be the best thing to ever happen to you and will most likely be the worst. This film, like first love, subtly grabs you before you know what's happening and you are in it until the last scene.

It is beautifully quiet, as is it's dialog, appearing intentional and lovely realistic. So often in films these days it feels like conversations are forced and we miss the little treasures of a glance, the touching of hands, or the way the light moves. The ability to deliver without overstating the obvious or spoon feed feelings is refreshing and endearing to say the least.

Serenely delivered, we see a young couple fall in love with one another and then have to deal with the real world issues of visas, rules, life, sacrifices, and careers. The cinematography was beautiful, although I found the handheld a little jarring at first, I lost sight of it and it became very natural very quickly. I caught myself many times getting lost in a scene and then another... I take that back... not lost... absorbed. It's spaces are filled like moving snapshots and among them beautiful emotion. 

Although there has been quite a bit of good criticisim regarding Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones' breakout performances (which ARE really really fantastic), I was pleasantly surprised about the supporting performances of her parents (especially her mum, played by Alex Kingston) and Samantha (played by Jennifer Lawrence). Again, not a lot of dialogue was used, but it is in their exchanges and their tender delivery that say so much more and really deliver a brilliant scene.

I found "Like Crazy" to be an engaging collage of emotion and a must see! Much like first love, I immensely enjoyed the first two thirds of the film and was sad to see it end.

Crazy Stupid Love

Let me start by saying that the best thing that Steve Carell ever did was leave "The Office".   I have enjoyed almost every movie that he has been in... and, might I add, COMPLETELY to my surprise.  I don't know if it's his puppy dog eyes, his goofy smile, or his insane vulnerability, but he draws me in every time... and this movie is no different.  When he chooses roles that allow him to play from the heart, he is a powerful force that very few actors in Hollywood can pull off.      

In the vast ocean of summer blockbusters and 3D this and that... this film is an island... an oasis to the heart and the head.  Witty, intelligent, stylish, and charmingly written, it takes us through life's journey to the meaning of soulmates, relationships, and love... and imagine this... it is OH so crazy and stupid.


I LOVED this film and look forward to adding it to my collection!

For the love of film!

Since I can remember, film has been a part of my life.  My parents have always been avid moviegoers and shared this love with both my sister and me.  Film became not only a means of entertainment, but inspired us to see the world and be the persons we dared to be.

There is always that first movie that changes your life... and that movie for me was "When Harry Met Sally..."  It was 1989.  I was a senior in High School.  It was two hours that changed my life forever!  As dramatic as that sounds, the styling of the set, the costuming, the writing, and the setting of New York City-- all caught me up in its magic.  Directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron, "When Harry Met Sally" tells the story of Harry Burns and Sally Albright (great names, no?) and deals with the all important question--"Can men and women really be friends?"  I have lost track of how many times I have seen this movie; but let me just say, I have worn down and gone through not one but two VHS tapes and have the entire movie memorized.

After seeing this with my best friend, we were convinced that THIS was the way relationships should be.  In search of my Harry Burns, which by this time had covered Michigan, Massachusetts, and back to Michigan again, I had compared every man I had ever dated to Harry.  Imagine my surprise when I sat down after finally having it come out on DVD, sooooo excited to have the movie extras... the interviews with Nora and Rob and the video of Harry Connick Jr!  There I am, on the sofa... mental notebook in hand waiting for the genius that is Nora Ephron... and what fabulous advice does she have to share?  One of the very first tidbits of wisdom to come out of her mouth was something to the effect of, young girls everywhere are coming up to me and asking me how to find a Harry Burns... and I have to tell them he doesn't exist.  WHAT?????   World crashed!

My fashion sense was also affected by this movie.  You see this hat? I bought a hat almost identical to it that Christmas with my Christmas money.  I should also mention I never once wore it outside of my bedroom.  As for Meg's hair in the movie or Meg's hair in general, I have been trying to replicate it for years and years... long and curly to short and shaggy.  I even went as far as getting a perm... A PERM!

Moral of this little story?  Never ever watch the extra material on a DVD... EVER!

The Big Year!

"The Big Year" with Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson quietly arrived in theaters amid lame wannabe blockbuster action and horror movies for the Halloween season.


It's a story of three men--all avid birdwatchers and all at different critical points in their lives.  Normally, with the comic powerhouse of each of these funny men, one would expect a slapstick festival, especially when you add chasing birds all over North America.  Surprisingly and beautifully, it is quiet with its grace in the thoughtful moments and exchanges in dialogue between friends, fathers, mothers, and wives.

Although it was not a film one would probably be talking about for years to come, it has staying power and is a reminder of what life should be--a real sweet, honest gem!