TIFF: Fonda Plays a Hippie, Jennifer Sculpts "Butter", Viola Talks "Dark Girls"

Paolo here again to discuss three new films.

Peace Love and Misunderstanding
Bruce Beresford's new film begins with a table full of stuffy bourgeois lawyers taking down Pulitzer-winning playwrights. They seem like the kind of people the audience would like to become when they're older, having real opinions about theatre and the other high arts. This party takes place despite the Reaganite hostess, Diane Hudson (Catherine Keener) considering a divorcing from her husband (Kyle McLachlan). She takes her kids Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen) and 'documentarian' Jake (Nat Wolff) to the legendary Woodstock, New York to see their hippie grandmother (Jane Fonda). Fonda's character's presence thus questions one's notion of adulthood, as she is older yet free as the grandmother we wish we had.

Divorce and the other conflicts pop up one after another only to be resolved, a tricky comic tone to maintain. This light freedom is also evident in one scene when a chicken practically blocks our view of a character adding to the chaotic yet natural energy in this home and town. Every member of the household gets to hook up, Diane with a local musician (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), vegetarian Zoe's surprise match with a butcher named Cole (Chace Crawford) and Jake with a barista.

Fonda was the master of modern American elocution and we still hear that when she fires off the script's great one liners. But even Fonda can't help when her character turns into a Kristen Wiig caricature. Chace Crawford, capably evokes the heavy air that comes with a young man who has grown up in a rural area. And since I might not get to catch Martha Marcy May Marlene at the festival, watching Olsen's supporting work here is a decent consolation prize. She performs Zoe just as intelligent and emotionally sound as the script suggests.

Butter
This comedy about the world of butter sculpture competition in Iowa centers around Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), a sculptor's wife who takes on her husband Bob's (Ty Burrell) job after he is forced into retirement. Quirk topic with the strangest case of a joke bombing in a movie... (more on Butter and the documentary Dark Girls with Viola Davis after the jump.)

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Cinema de Gym: 'Juno'

Kurt here, back with another installment of Cinema de Gym. Y'all didn't have much to say about the last two episodes, so I'm happy to return with a movie that's more actressy and Oscary, for better or worse. Hopefully it'll get folks talking. Juno is a film that has not sat well in my memory – a hipper-than-thou pin cushion for all my Quirk Cinema complaints. When a post-2007 indie gets under the skin with all its precious, self-negating eccentricities, Diablo Cody usually proves the perfect scapegoat. What hath she wrought with her Millenial-surrealist dialogue, best described as Kevin Williamson by way of the Urban Outfitters library? Well, probably half of what's now in the Urban Outfitters library, for one. Her words are sticky pop contrivance glazed over genuine depth of feeling, a concoction that was wildly validated by everyone from Oscar to Ebert to an army of young adults, who'd found their Clueless – a comedy that shaped their vernacular.

Which, in all fairness, is no small feat, and I tip my hat to Cody for having the wherewithal to tap into the voice of a generation (or, at least, the pseudo-emo white-kid leg of it). But her hyper-stylization is certainly not without its drawbacks, and Juno sees many an honest moment neutralized by an on-cue Codyism. The argument, of course, is that the lingo is what makes the film unique (and, to many, what makes it great). My retort is that its success is hinged on the direction of Jason Reitman (a near-virtuoso among young American filmmakers) and the performances from the cast. Though he operates on the same tonal plane as his screenwriter, Reitman's visualization of Cody's script is what truly shapes the film's identity, speaking to you in a singularly authentic way the words cannot. And the impeccably chosen actors, though no doubt thrilled to have been handed such colorful material, do some astonishing weight-lifting in terms of helping to substantiate the language. Their work, and Reitman's, will make this film watchable in 20 years. Cody's will always live in the "whoa dream big" world of 2007.

I'll admit I rolled my eyes when I saw that Juno was the film of the day at the gym. My retrospective qualms with it tend to blind me of its charms. The segment I caught was highly representative of the film entire: a peaks-and-valleys stretch of time riddled with poignant moments and Codyan pratfalls. I got to see the bit where Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner's relationship ends, the part where Juno tells Jennifer "I'm still in if you are" (excuse me while I freely mix actor and character names), and the part where Juno professes her love for Paulie Bleeker. This, unfortunately, also means I had to hear an in-labor Juno declare that "Thundercats are go!"; a lovely speech undone by the line, "You're golden, man"; and background song lyrics that whisper, "I like amputees with stamp collections" (though I guess I can't blame Cody for that one). That's Juno for you: it giveth and it taketh away.

Before I go, I wanted to say a word or two about Garner, who's never been lovelier or more assured as an actor than she is in this movie. A fine candidate for Michael C.'s Unsung Heroes series, her performance – easily overlooked upon first viewing – is all heart and earnestness, and she's very much the straight gal to everyone else's buzzing one-linerocity. Does that mean she doesn't do as much weight-lifting? Hardly. Garner more or less carries this movie's weight. I was happy to exit during the scene where she enters the delivery room and picks up her son for the first time. "I think he was always hers," says Juno's narration. It's a perfect metaphor for how I feel about this film: Cody may have carried Juno in the womb, but it's surrogates who stepped in and raised it to its full potential.

Conclusions?

1. Movies may often start with the screenwriter, but they certainly don't end with them.
2. Jennifer Garner should have had a much greater presence in the 2007 awards discussion.
3. I am not exactly looking forward to Young Adult, aka Reitman-Cody Partnership, Part Deux.
4. Just for kicks: Google "Paulie Bleeker" and what do you find? Paulie Bleeker Halloween costumes. I am really tempted...

So, how 'bout it? Has my Juno post left you pregnant with responses?

Red Carpet: Emma Floats, Zoe Swims, Jennifer Drowns

For today's Red Carpet Convo, I'm joined by both of my usual coconspirators, Kurt and Jose. In this episode Kurt will lose all his motor skills, Jose will reveal psychic fashion powers, and I will prove my abject sports stupidity. Enjoy!

Nathaniel: W‪e'll start by pretending we're in London -- which none of us are (we've got the East Coast and South America in the house) -- to visit a BAFTA function‬.

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪I'm there -- un-straightening my teeth as we speak‬.

Jose: ‬ ‪it's rainy and grey down here so consider me in Sweeney Todd "no place like London" mood‬

CHENO, HER ROYAL ASSNESS, MRS BEN AFFLECK, NICKI, and MLP

‪Nathaniel: ‬ ‪At first I was all "Why are ALL the stars out for a "Brits to Watch" award -- the recipients of which (who?) are quite outshadowed by the starpower  -- but then i realized it was hosted by the royals Prince & Kate which explains it.‬

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪Hey, excuses to dress up... I thought for sure we'd be chatting up the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere.

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Patience, would be skydiver, patience.‬ So before we speak of individuals I must say that one of my favorite things is when all the beauties wear different colors. Rainbow is the absolute best red carpet color.‬ 

Kurt: ‬ ‪yes...lovely little spectrum here‬. Are we going to play Guess The Bum? Because my eyes can't focus on anything else
‪
Jose: ‬ ‪Someone should tell this to the Red Globes, the Purple Oscars and the Black SAGs‬

Nathaniel: Exactly! And it's quite representative too. I couldn't spot any hive-mind aesthetic at the Bafta shindig‬
‪
Kurt: ‬ ‪There i go again, getting ahead of things...we can stick with the color convo sorry‬ 

Jose: ‬ ‪I'm curious as to who chose the guests though, why the hell is Mary Louise Parker there and not Cate or Meryl or Kate?‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪I can't help you there. As to guess the bum. C'mon on. Look at it. Y'all know who that is.

‪Jose: ‬ ‪Her royal ass-ness‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪I figured‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Jenny's block has moved to London‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪Can we talk for a sec about her music? I'd like opinions from the group‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪i have none.‬ Jose?

‪Jose: ‬ ‪meh, it's fun when you're drunk‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪now there's a quote‬. put that on the album cover 

Nathaniel:  ‬ ‪Blurb Whore!‬

‪Jose: ‬ and 'my spinning instructor loves her too‬.'

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪hahaha‬. All i'm saying is, i'd have a hard time takin' criticisms from her assness, if i were an American Idol. the end.‬ but, she is stunning. that skin

Nathaniel: ‬ I always feel like JLo is always trying too hard. I mean that dress is SO busy with the cutouts and the arm decor.‬

Jose: ‬ ‪she is an American Idol though, she embodies everything pop music has become about: mediocre voice, crazy antics and lots of merchandise‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪oh yea her fashion is nuts...remember that thing from "Savage Beauty"?‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪I'd prefer not to.‬ Kristin Chenoweth's dress is reminding me of something and I can't think what for the life of me. That color combo...

‪Jose: ‬ OMG it's reminding you of Dazzler, just say it 

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪SHUT IT.‬ I have retired my Dazzler obsession. It was a weird K-Hole of spring 2011.

‪Jose: ‬ ‪Hahaha the moment I saw her, I thought of Dazz and I blame you Nathaniel!‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪again: RETIRED. much like Jennifer Garner until quite recently.‬
‪
Jose: ‬ ‪Cheno reminded me of when Nicole won the Globe for MR!

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Jose you have a sick memory.‬ Photographic so long as there's an actress and a dress

Jose: ‬ ‪I chose to take that as a compliment‬. My friends are annoyed by my fashion memory, they think I'm like a version of Lisbeth Salander who's into Vogue‬

Nathaniel: ‪Maybe Cheno's dress reminds me of some high-end old-school hotel ballroom corporate function draping? I dunno. it's really bugging me. It's so old money whilst being completely boring.‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪I'm getting lampshade-cum-business drape‬ 

Jose: ‬ ‪I kinda like it though, it's very Cher at Studio 54‬ but I think she needed higher heels to pull it off better.

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Hmmm. I can't imagine Cher in it unless there were like a headpiece with it.‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪i don't think chenoweth should ever try for cher anything‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪Cheno does "Half Breed". JUST IMAGINE IT.‬

poll by twiigs.com

Jose: ‬ ‪LOL‬

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪i am NOT feeling this bolt of fabric Jennifer Garner is rocking. my goodness‬. she's drowning in fabric. save her!‬

‪Jose: ‬ ‪you just broke my heart Kurt‬ J. Gar's YSL is the thing couturier wet dreams are made of. It's so simple it's just perfect‬

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪well let's get something straight here: in all likelihood you are a much better judge of fashion than me, but from this angle, I see a fabric attack‬

Jose: ‬ ‪but it's supposed to be about movement, it's very flowy and watery‬. Imagine some sort of Greek goddess thing going on.

Kurt: ‬ ‪i get that...your explanation is kinda working...‬

Nathaniel: ‬ ‪I was going to say that i love the color on Garner so much but maybe anything other than Elektra Red I love on her because I just can't... you thought i was obsesed with Dazzler? You dont wanna know about my Elektra thing. Hated Garner doing her so much.‬

Jose: ‬ ‪she pulls off color quite well, remember that crazy orange thing she wore to the Oscars?‬

Kurt: ‬ ‪that was gorg

‬‪Jose: ‬ It was! but it was such a crazy Fanta color that few people would've dared to use it. Sigh. I miss her at the Oscars, never knew what the hell she was doing there but she always looked stunning‬

Red is just easy I guess, like Halle and nude color‬

Nathaniel:  ‬ ‪or everyone in black.‬

‪Kurt: ‬ ‪oh god, i just finally caught the arm thing on JLo's dress. what is wrong with her‬?

But wait there's more! Nicole's goddess scoop, Nathaniel plays Marco Polo, Swoosie Kurtz is lactose tolerant, and Jennifer Aniston's secret messaging.

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Cinema de Gym: 'Daredevil'

Kurt here. For those of you just tuning in, Cinema de Gym is an experimental series in which I give my two cents on movies that play in an in-house theater at my local gym, where I'm attempting to shed "writer's pounds." Instead of seats, this screening room has treadmills and such, and plays a daily film on a loop. For the first installment, we chatted about Barry Levinson's Bandits. Today, inspired by Nathaniel's "Mutant Week," the subject is Daredevil, the 2003 handicapped-hero flick and the third big comic book movie of the Aughts (following, of course, X-Men and Spider-Man).

This is an easy movie to belittle for a whole mess of reasons. Box office clout be damned, Ben Affleck makes for an unwieldy superhero, especially since he was nowhere near his lean Town physique when this film was shot (directing just literally takes it outta ya, I suppose). That he looked a lot older than 30 at the time certainly didn't help matters, and both age and unwieldiness compounded the secondhand discomfort of that red leather suit, which, frankly, wasn't worth the poor cows' hides.

Then there was the silliness of Colin Farrell's Bullseye who, however well cast, would be one of the first of many counterproductively-comical superbaddies, saddled with meta lines like, "I want a bloody costume."

Farrell as Bullseye, Garner as Elektra

But I hardly count this among the worst of our last decade of superhero cinema, as the subsequent years would give us beauts like Jonah Hex, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and, oh yes, Elektra. Before the spinoff, I thought Jennifer Garner excelled as Daredevil's sai-wielding vigilantess, balancing sex appeal with girl-next-doorness and fitting much more nicely into her S&M gear than future hubby Ben. She certainly has this movie, not Alias, to thank for her big-screen career.

Moving on, I'm with Roger Ebert in regard to the film's visual f/x, which the uncannily prolific critic championed heartily upon the film's release. In a movie of fickle success, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson – whose own professional fickleness we'll get to in a sec – finds some handsome ways to envision the tricky nature of hero Matt Murdock's powers, which are akin to Sonar in that the blind crime fighter can "see" sound vibrations. Specifically, a scene in which Elektra stands in the rain so Matt can see her face via droplet sound waves is quite purdy, if overtly digital.

Matt Murdock. No relation to Scott Summers.The thing with Cinema de Gym is, I only see 15- to 30-minute snippets of the film in question (depending on the day's endurance level), so I ought to discuss the segment. What I saw of Daredevil was in fact a lot of down time – the slower bits in which Matt chats with his co-worker and Hollywood-prescribed best bud, played by future Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau. Matt, a lawyer, has a built-in taste for justice, but that's not all that interesting. What I liked were curious details about his handicap, like how he folds bills of different denominations in different ways, so as to feel the correct amount. I remembered that part from first viewing, and saw it again in my gym segment.

About Mark Steven Johnson, the guy's got a really odd filmography, penning a grab bag of screenplays and directing a few of them to all-over-the-map results. In the '90s, he wrote the Grumpy Old Men movies, Simon Birch and Jack Frost (the Michael Keaton weepie, not the straight-to-video slasher), then did Daredevil before writing and directing...Ghost Rider and When In Rome.

[Pause] ...whoa.

At a recent party, someone told me he felt Daredevil was the movie that shaped the superhero film as we now know it. I'm not sure about that, but it certainly seems to have been a tipping point for its director.

Conclusions?

1. Ben Affleck is wise to have not returned to comic book cinema (assuming it would have had him back).
2. If nothing else, mediocre superhero movies can lead to loving, lasting Hollywood marriages.
3. Supporting parts in superhero flicks can give actors the comic book director's bug. (Might the long-awaited Wonder Woman be helmed by Thor's Kat Dennings?)
4. I'm suddenly dying to see what Mark Steven Johnson does next, and I imagine he's open to suggestions. The floor is yours, TFE readers.

Review: Arthur (2011)

Since I very recently saw Arthur (1981) on Netflix Instant Watch, I had a bit of a trouble disconnecting myself from the original while watching the new version 30 years later.

Dudley & Liz vs. Russell & Greta

The more things change the more they stay the same? The comedy Arthur (1981) opened during a recession and high unemployment rates. Here we are again in 2011 when all but the richest are hurting and that drunken millionaire is rearing his head again. He's hoping you'll laugh with him or at him -- either will do as he has no shame. The first time around audiences did just that. They embraced Arthur's reckless entitlement and threw millions more into his seemingly bottomless coffer, turning the film into one of the biggest blockbusters of early 80s cinema.

The remake, also named ARTHUR (2011) is in some ways a recreation with virtually the same character in a nearly identical plot. The few changes are cosmetic. Even Arthur's net worth hasn't changed all that much...

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What do you make of this Arthur or the earlier one?