500 DAYS OF SUMMER Review

Ever since I first saw the trailer for 500 Days of Summer back in January, I have wanted to see it. It looked like just my type of movie and of course the cast only added to my excitement.

I ended up seeing 500 Days of Summer at the 2009 LA Film Festival in June (because there was no way I was missing the chance to see it) and let me tell you it didn't disappoint.

500 Days of Summer tells the story of Tom who gets dumped by Summer, whom he thinks is the love of his life. Tom then tries to understand what went wrong and starts looking back at his relationship with Summer. The movie moves back and forth between pre and post break up scenes as Tom tries to win Summer back.

The opening sequence for the movie is one of the best that I have seen in a while. To this day it still makes me laugh. It's nothing big but a few sentences telling you about the movie, but it definitely puts you in the mood for what's coming. I won't spoil what it says because it would take away all its effect, but it was such a great way to start the movie that I had to mention it.

The movie also warns us that this is not a love story and that's true, but you'll have to go and see it to find out exactly what 500 Days of Summer is all about.

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PASSENGER SIDE Movie Review (LA Film Fest)

Passenger Side was the movie I enjoyed the least at the Los Angeles Film Festival, which was too bad because I really like Adam Scott (who plays one of the main characters).

Passenger Side follows the story of two brothers Michael and Tobey Brown (Adam Scott and Joel Bissonnette), who drive around Los Angeles running errands for Tobey, although we don't really find out what for until later in the movie. Nothing much else happens apart from a few weird encounters.

Passenger Side is more of a day in the life of type of movie, where there isn't really a beginning or an end, it's just a day we follow in the lives of the two brothers, but even at the end of the movie, their story doesn't really end there. This is fine when there is a purpose to showing that part of their life, but it just felt like the reason for the errands, when revealed, wasn't good enough for me to believe Michael would be driving Tobey around all day. And on top of that, the movie has some weird, seemingly purposeless, encounters with random people. It seemed to me like a lot of them were done just for shock value but didn't really add anything to the story or the point they were trying to make. It actually felt very disjointed and took me out of the movie a few times.

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500 DAYS OF SUMMER LAFF Pictures with Zoey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon Levitt

Check out some pictures of Zoey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon Levitt, director Mark Webb and writers Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber talking about 500 DAYS OF SUMMER after the screening at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.

Pretty much everyone stayed after the screening to hear them talk, it was pretty great. Oh and the movie is really amazing, you should definitely go see it when it comes out (I will also have a review soon, so keep an eye for it as well).

500 Days of Summer will be released to limited theaters on July 17, 2009. Check out more pictures below (click on them to make them bigger).

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GLENN MCQUAID Interview for "I Sell the Dead"

During the Los Angeles Film Fest, I got a chance to interview director Glenn McQuaid about his film, I Sell the Dead, which was screened during the festival (you can read my review here).

I Sell the Dead will be released to limited theaters on August 14, 2009. Until then, I hope you enjoy the interview with Glenn McQuaid below.

(You can watch the video in HD over at Vimeo)

I SELL THE DEAD Review (LA Film Fest)

I am not a horror fan at all, but interestingly enough, I Sell the Dead was one of the movies that I wanted to see the most at the LA Film Fest.

I Sell the Dead follows the story of Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan) and Willie Grimes (Larry Fessenden), two grave robbers, who one day discover a body with a stake through its heart. Now unfortunately, Willie and Arthur have not been educated by pop culture and don't know that if you find a body with a stake in it, you just never remove it... This new "adventure" leads them to become dealers for the undead, in this very original and funny horror/comedy movie.

I Sell the Dead opens with Arthur confessing his "crimes" to a priest, Father Duffy (Ron Perlman). We then go back and forth between the story and the present in the prison. We learn about what lead Arthur to this point and all the crazy adventures he and Willie went on, as well as all the creatures they encountered along the way.

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PAPER MAN Movie Review (LA Film Fest)

Paper Man was the opening movie at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, and all I can say is that it was a great choice.

Paper Man tells the story of Richard Dunn (Jeff Daniels) a failed author whose wife, Claire (Lisa Kudrow), a successful surgeon, rents a house in New Jersey in order to help him get over his writer's block. Along for the ride is Richard's imaginary friend, Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds), who has been with him since 2nd grade.
Unfortunately, Richard can't seem to get anything written and the fact that his first novel was a bust doesn't help either. During one of his outings to town, he meets Abby (Emma Stone) a Long Island teen who feels as lonely as he does. A friendship between the two begins a la "Lost in Translation" which helps both of them deal with their lives and unresolved issues.

Paper Man very much has a typical independent feel to it, which I love. And while the basic storyline is not that original, the elements surrounding it definitely bring it to a new, original level. I thought the whole Captain Excellent element was brilliant and putting Ryan Reynolds in the role in a Superman-like costume and platinum hair just makes it that much more brilliant. Oh and did I mention Captain Excellent also has some sort of slogan, it's pretty fun.

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IN THE LOOP Review (LA Film Fest)

In the Loop is a political satire which follows a British government minister, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), who very clumsily makes the comment that "war is unforeseeable" during a TV interview. This leads to Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), the communications chief, attempting to damage control this slip in order to further his pro-war agenda. Things end up getting more and more out of control in very comical ways, and the Brits end up in Washington where Foster meets Karen Clark (Mimi Kennedy), the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Diplomacy, and General Miller (James Gandolfini), who think he will help them in building a case against war. But turns out Foster is not the savior they were hoping for. In the midst of all this, Foster's new advisor, Toby Wright (Chris Addison) gets his way around mostly by sleeping with Clark's intern, Liza Weld (Anna Chlumsky). This kind of comedy of errors has some pretty crazy twist and turns which will eventually lead everyone to the U.N. for its close.

I wanted to see In the Loop for a while and finally caught a screening at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. While I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, I think it's definitely a smart and very funny political movie.

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I SELL THE DEAD Screening LA Film Fest Cast Pictures

Check out some pictures of the cast at the screening of I SELL THE DEAD at the 2009 LA Film Festival.

You can also check out our interview with Dominic Monaghan and Larry Fessenden, who both star in the movie.

I Sell the Dead will come out to limited theaters on August 7, 2009.

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LARRY FESSENDEN Interview - "I Sell the Dead" Screening (LA Film Fest)

When I went to the screening of I SELL THE DEAD at the 2009 LA Film Festival, I got a chance to talk to Larry Fessenden who plays Willie Grimes in the movie. I do apologize for the sound, it's a little hard to hear him, but there were a lot of people around. Hopefully, you enjoy his interview anyway. (You can also watch our interview with Dominic Monaghan here.)

I Sell the Dead is directed by Glenn McQuaid and is sort of a comedy/horror film, about two grave robbers.

Check out what Larry Fessenden had to say about the movie below.

IN THE LOOP Screening Pictures with Anna Chlumsky & more (LA Film Fest)

Check out some pictures of David Rasche, Anna Chlumsky and Mimi Kennedy talking about IN THE LOOP after the screening at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.

In the Loop will be released to theaters on July 24, 2009. Check out more pictures below.

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