February Week 1: The Odd Post of Timothy Green

This was a week of pretty relaxing fair. I rewatched more movies than I have in a long time. It's not that I don't like to rewatch movies, I just have so much catching up to do! I love having that insurmountable task always bearing down on me. I can never be bored as long as movies are being made.

Films Watched:
Short Term 12
Obsession
Shakespeare in Love
The Importance of Being Earnest
In the House

Short Term 12 (2013):

There’s something special about Short Term 12, and I can only narrow it down to the way it kept defying my expectations. Not in a “what a twist!” kind of way, but something milder, more subtle. I have no experience with group homes or parents that are terrible, but I felt a connection to each protagonist in the movie as if I knew them personally. That alone is wonderful. Every turn in the story, every character development had me going “Huh. I like that they went that way.” I’m sure some people saw a bunch of the story coming, but I wasn’t really looking that hard for imperfection, just enjoying the ride on one of the most critically acclaimed movies of last year. The movie is funny and sad, heartwarming in a way that most dramedies seem firmly aimed at while this movie just coasted its way into the zone. It is 100% a good movie. I would say great, but I want a rewatch before I decide that.

Obsession (1949):

Thrillers, man. I can’t get enough of them. A good thriller is the same for me as a great standup comedy special. You sit back, you take the ride, and when it’s over you are left smiling. And thinking, of course, it has to leave you with something to ponder. Obsession (or The Hidden Room, which I think is a much better title) starts off all prim and proper, slow burning to who knows where. I don’t remember if Dial M for Murder was a play before this movie came out, but in any case these 2 productions have a lot in common. You see, murder is not about passion, not if you want it done right. No, a thinker very carefully considers all his or her options, weighs pros and cons and the like, and then only after a plan has been meticulously scrutinized and worked to the very last point may it begin to take place. Where I found the film version of Dial M for Murder rather boring, Obsession picked up after its initial confrontation scene in a direction I couldn’t predict. You take a little mad science, add a dash of Columbo, and of course a cute puppy, and we have a winner. One of my favorite little tidbits in the movie was a scene where in order to show the passage of time, the protagonist picks up a blank crossword puzzle, which fades into a completed crossword. Pretty cool. I recommend this title if you want a nice little thriller. It can be found on Hulu.

Shakespeare in Love (1998):

Back in the day when I saw this movie in the theater I didn’t know shit about movies. What I saw was a pretty period piece with witty dialogue and a slightly cheesy love story, but it could have been worse. Now I know about Oscar bait. Now I know about the actual time period and the mysterious man called Shakespeare. Now I know these actors up and down like I was each of their agents. So this time around I got to nitpick where I wanted to, and you know what? The movie isn’t that bad. You get yourself a loud enough score, some bombastic feel good moments, and a lot of costuming and scenery changes and most of the time now days, you’ve lost me, but not here. I was not entirely charmed by the dialogue, but I did find it amusing for the most part. Gwyneth Paltrow pretending to be English, Judi Dench pretending to be English, Sandra Bernhard, not in this movie. I just like typing Sandra Bernhard. And I guess Judi Dench is actually the most English woman alive, which is why they always cast her. What I’m saying is I don’t hate this movie, even if it kept coming right to the edge of my patience for what I expect from Oscar bait. I think the only reason I liked the recently review Memoirs of a Geisha better is because I had not seen it before, and I had seen this at least 4 times before. You’ve heard the phrase “Familiarity breeds contempt?” I believe that only to be true when the familiar is flawed in a way that eventually cannot be overlooked.

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002):

These are the kinds of movies that Sarah and I watch when we want to relax. Something not heavy, playful and fun, with at least an appearance by Tom Wilkinson or Rupert Everett. The Importance of Being Earnest is 100% delight. The amount of fun being had by the cast is actually reflected on the screen, with snarky, charming characters created by Oscar Wilde portrayed by what I can only assume are the ideal actors for each of their roles. Hell, even Reese Witherspoon playing British didn’t bother me. You know that’s crazy right there. Film may contain far amounts mistaken identity, fairy tale fantasies, adorable old people, and Judi Dench. Again. It’s just a good time all around. I wish Rupert Everett and Colin Firth were my friends in real life. Those dudes seem pretty cool. We could totally play Cards Against Humanity and have a roaring good time.

In the House (2012):

To call this a thriller almost feels misleading, but there is not really another way to put it. It is a thriller, because you don’t and can’t tell where the story may be going. Imagine yourself in the main character’s situation, Monsieur Germain Germain, reading a story by one of your students and becoming helpless in your desire to see where it goes. Would you make the same decisions he did, endangering your career and your reputation? Like him is you self-worth questionable and therefore a worthy sacrifice in pursuit of something special and unique. If you had a student with an undeniable talent, bursting with potential, how far would you go to encourage him or her? These are the kinds of questions I long for in a good thriller, and In The House being as superbly crafted as it is, held up to my demands even after a second viewing. It’s well paced sense of humor and mystery is kind of spectacular, and I can’t really think of a movie to compare it to. Maybe the movie Swimming Pool by the same director, Francois Ozon. Swimming Pool is sometimes too silly for my taste though, where as In the House finds its sweet spot early on, and sticks with it the entire way. I will say that after my first watch, I found the ending to be a little out of left field, but after my second I figured out that I had just missed a few pieces that all came together in the end to fit in this almost perfect, beautiful crafted feature.

Only one Criterion feature this week. I'll get back at that next week, once again assuming I'm not running around to job interviews and such. I much prefer the prospect of having money though. How was your week and what did you watch? Drop me a line on facebook or here on the blog. @jdtmovies on twitter. Thanks for reading this week! You guys are the bomb.