Rating of
4/4
It's like Summer, slightly Humid.
Matthew Sanchelli - wrote on 02/01/10
I'll start off saying this movie will without a doubt end up on my 'Favorite Movie Shelf' on my DVD case. Pairing this movie with a freshly brewed pot of coffee, eggs and a some cinnamon/rum bread with sliced strawberries and maple syrup; and I think I had a brilliant beginning to a rainy Saturday.
If you have not seen this movie yet, stop reading here as I intend on (as most reviews do) talking about parts of the movie and I don't want to spoil it for ya.
This flick had me going up in down, in literal and rhetorical senses. The story is largely told non-linearly (which I love in flicks), so you see segments of the two main characters relationship...the good and the bad...inter-cut with each other. Not only was it toying with my emotions in a way, because you basically know how it's going to end with them from the first few minutes, but there were many parts where I was jumping up from my seat cheering, or laughing, or pacing with anticipation waiting for something to happen. Needless to say it would have been bad had I seen this in theatres because I would not have been able to sit still.
Our two key characters are Tom and Summer; wonderfully played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (from such movies as Brick, H20, GI Joe, and TV's 3rd Rock from the Sun) and Zooey Deschanel (from Yes Man, The Go-Getter, TV movie Tin Man). I've always liked Godron-Levitt's movies but I think this movie really helped solidify him as someone to keep your eye on. And Ms. Deschanel...well...I have a bias for dark-haired women with blue-eyes, who have a quirky/awesome little singing voice. Truly, if you cast Zooey in a movie and have her sing...even just a little bit...I'll see the movie.
The supporting cast were exceptional as well. Matthew Gray Gubler (from Criminal Minds) had a solid performance. A nice little cameo for Minka Kelly from the TV series Friday Night Lights. And Clark Gregg, who is Agent Coulson from S.H.E.I.L.D. in the Marvel Universe flicks now, was a pleasant surprise.
I writing was pretty much pitch perfect for me. The set-up was great. The dialogue was real. I really don't have any complaints.
Marc Webb did a great job of directing...not only in regards to giving us exactly, what I hope, he envisioned for the movie. How the story was told in words, and visualization was awesome. The acting was on and I feel he got the performances he was hoping for. If I were to get a job in video production, part of my dream would be working in music videos. Those were the projects I was hoping to get into when I first moved to LA. I love music videos and how they tell a story through song...and largely I love the music videos are are little movies in their own right; IE MJ's Thriller, Timberlake's What Goes Around Comes Around, and almost any music video by 30 Seconds to Mars. And now, Webb is in charge of Sony's new revamping of the Spider-man franchise. It will definitely be a different type of Spidey, but I think in a good way; I just hope they have a good script. And if they want a good Peter Parker, he should look into my buddy Nick. (I'm pushing for ya buddy).
The surreal-ness of the movie was great. The 'documentary' in it was a great touch. The little artistic touches in the movie, like when the screen becomes a drawing. Loved the little music number to Hall & Oates. Of course, it's been a goal of mine to eventually write and produce a short musical movie myself...
All in all, despite the nature of the story of the film being somewhat 'depressing' the entire film, I felt was fun, and above all in importance....real. We did get fed any tripe in regards to your typically sappy Hollywood endings. Sure, I enjoy the 'boy gets girl' story from time to time...one of my guilty pleasures is 'Boys & Girls'...but I think this movie would have been ruined had it ended with Tom and Summer being together. Largely because that's not what the movie is about and had it ended that way it would have abandoned the entire story and plot of the movie.
And brilliant soundtrack too. Probably going up there as one of my top movie soundtracks.
My hats go off to everyone who got this movie made...from writing, to pre-production, to production, to post, to marketing, to everything.
As much as this movie doesn't need a sequel (because honestly...unless you're a comicbook flick or a horror movie...rarely is a sequel needed)...I would see (500) Days of Autumn. ;)
