The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that the field of Documentary Short Subject contenders for the 87th Academy Awards has been narrowed to eight films, of which three to five will earn Oscar nominations.
Voters from the Academy’s Documentary Branch viewed this year’s 58 eligible entries and submitted their ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers for tabulation.
The eight films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1,” Perry Films “Joanna,” Wajda Studio “Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace,” Show of Force “The Lion’s Mouth Opens,” Tree Tree Tree “One Child,” New York University “Our Curse,” Warsaw Film School “The Reaper (La Parka),” Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica “White Earth,” Weary Traveler
The 87th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
The Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Lionsgate is teaming with Google to introduce DISTRICT VOICES, the latest campaign in Google’s Art, Copy & Code project to promote The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, the two companies announced today. Mockingjay – Part 1 is thethird film in the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise that has already grossed more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office.
DISTRICT VOICES is a five episode series on YouTube that brings to life Panem, the fictional world of The Hunger Games, through videos featuring popular YouTube creators. Each episode of the series was created with a different creator, whose channel content aligns with a specific industry from one of the districts of Panem.
The videos were concepted and developed with the team from the YouTube Space LA and filmed on location there, and around Los Angeles. They provide a window into an expanded world of The Hunger Games and deliver original content to the passionate fan bases of both the films and the individual YouTube creators. Presented as programming from CAPITOL TV, the government-sanctioned television network of The Hunger Games, DISTRICT VOICES is a leading example of how YouTube is emerging as the best place to reach the key 18-34 year-old audience.
Global fan communities are watching more than 9 billion hours of video each month on YouTube, and the creators who participated in DISTRICT VOICES have a combined base of over 4.9 million subscribers and more than 550 million video views.
“Our mission has always been to engage our Hunger Games fans in the most innovative and authentic ways possible,” said Lionsgate’s EVP of Digital Marketing Danielle De Palma. “We cannot think of a better partner than these incredible YouTube stars, who truly bring new content to life in the world of Panem and extend our storytelling to online audiences in exciting new directions.”
Google’s Art, Copy & Code is a series of projects that explore new ways for brands to connect with consumers through experiences that people love, remember and share. Said Google’s Director of Creative Partnerships, Ben Malbon: “YouTube is the best place to build a fanbase. This collaboration with Lionsgate showcases how brands can harness the power of Google and YouTube to reach their core audience when they are engaging with the content they are most passionate about and where they are spending the majority of their time.”
View the DISTRICT VOICES trailernow and tune-in to Capitol TV each day this week starting at 4pm ET/ 1pmPT:
Monday, October 20 – District 8: Rob Czar & Corinne Leigh, co-helmers of the ‘Threadbanger’ YouTube channel, show how to best make use of excess Peacekeeper armor.
Tuesday, October 21 – District 2: Shane Fazen, of the ‘fightTIPS’ YouTube channel, showcases the training and techniques required to be a Peacekeeper in Panem.
Wednesday, October 22 – District 5: Derek Muller, known for the mind-blowing experiments and scientific discussions on his YouTube channel ‘Veritasium’, demonstrates new ways in which the Capitol may generate its electricity in the future.
Thursday, October 23 – District 9: Jimmy Wong & Ashley Adams, best known for their ‘Feast of Fiction’ YouTube channel, demonstrate baking techniques from Panem’s Grain District.
Friday, October 24 – District 6: iJustine’s Justine Ezarik, gives a glimpse at the driving force that proudly supports the transportation needs of Panem’s vaunted Peacekeepers.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 opens in theatres everywhere on November 21.
The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, which finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, from an adaptation by Suzanne Collins and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the third in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has over 65 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.
Walt Disney Animation Studios revealed plans today for MOANA, a sweeping, CG-animated comedy-adventure about a spirited teenager on an impossible mission to fulfill her ancestors’ quest. In theaters in late 2016, the film is directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Aladdin”).
“John and I have partnered on so many films—from ‘The Little Mermaid’ to ‘Aladdin’ to ‘The Princess and the Frog,’” said Clements. “Creating ‘Moana’ is one of the great thrills of our career. It’s a big adventure set in this beautiful world of Oceania.”
In the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania, Moana, a born navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her incredible journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.
“Moana is indomitable, passionate and a dreamer with a unique connection to the ocean itself,” Musker said. “She’s the kind of character we all root for, and we can’t wait to introduce her to audiences.”
NIGHTCRAWLER is a pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles.
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling — where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents.
Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
From director Dan Gilroy, NIGHTCRAWLER will have you on the edge of your seat when it hits the big screen on Halloween, October 31st.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of NIGHTCRAWLER on Tuesday, October 28th at 7PM in the St. Louis area. We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
Jake Gyllenhaal played a NASA engineer in what film?
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. ENTER YOUR NAME AND ANSWERS IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
3. YOU MUST SUBMIT THE CORRECT ANSWER TO OUR QUESTION ABOVE TO WIN. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
SNOWPIERCER will be available on Blu-ray and DVD October 21, 2014. Visionary director Bong Joon Ho’s “enormously ambitious and visually stunning,” (Scott Foundas, Variety) film has been widely praised as “a superb masterpiece of science fiction” (MTV).
WAMG is giving away prizepacks to celebrate the film’s Blu-ray/DVD release.
ENTER YOUR NAME AND E-MAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WE WILL CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE A WINNER.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.
*Prizepacks are subject to change. No purchase necessary. Contest ends Friday, Nov. 7
Anchor Bay Entertainment and RADiUS are proud to announce the home entertainment release of the post-apocalyptic thriller, SNOWPIERCER. Chris Evans leads the all-star cast of Song Kang Ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, John Hurt, and Ed Harris. RADiUS released the film theatrically on June 27, 2014.
A box office success, the film has amassed $4.4 million to date, making it one of the top ten highest grossing independent films of the year.
After a failed global-warming experiment, a post-apocalyptic Ice Age has killed off nearly all life on the planet. All that remains of humanity are the lucky few survivors that boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine. A class system has evolved aboard the train, fiercely dividing its population—but a revolution is brewing.
The lower-class passengers in the tail section stage an uprising, moving car-by-car up toward the front of the train, where the train’s creator and absolute authority resides in splendor. But unexpected circumstances lie in wait for humanity’s tenacious survivors…
SNOWPIERCER has a running time of 126 minutes and is rated R for violence, language and drug content. Blu-Ray and DVD special features include a Critics’ Commentary hosted by Scott Weinberg and a second disc jam-packed with special features comprised of The Birth of Snowpiercer, The Characters, Animated Prologue, Concept Art Galleries, Chris Evans & Tilda Swinton on Snowpiercer, The Train Brought to Life: Behind the Scenes of a Special Screening, and TRANSPERCENEIGE: From the Blank Page to the Black Screen.
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW plays midnights at the Tivoli October 25-26 and November 1-2
They come wearing bustiers, corsets, and great gouts of eyeliner. And some women get into the act too! THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, the longest-running midnight and audience partici-(SAY IT!)-pation movie of them all, will play at Landmark’s Tivoli Theater in St. Louis over the next two weekends at midnight (October 24-25, October 31-November 1). The Tivoli does this every year and the shows are often sell-outs, so get your tickets early! The Tivoli does a great job of making ROCKY HORROR an interactive movie experience with a live “Shadow Cast” known as The Samauri Electricians who perform scenes during the movie and of course the audience is encouraged to respond to the on-screen action as well. The street party always starts early as attendees dressed as Frank N. Furter, Riff Raff, Magenta, and the gang line up outside the Tivoli hours before showtime and We Are Movie Geeks will be there to snap pics and help get the audience riled up. The Tivoli encourages folks to attend in costume, but does not allow outside props. They do sell an essential “prop bag” for only two dollars. The bag contains rice, toilet paper, Glow Sticks, Time Warp Fliers, Rubber Gloves, Noisemakers, Confetti, and everything you’ll need even if you’re a ROCKY HORROR “Virgin” experiencing the fun for the first time. I used to see ROCKY HORROR at the (now-defunct) Varsity theater down the street in the late 1970′s and not much has changed in 30+ years, my only observation being that this new generation of fans is even less inhibited and likes to show off more skin (not that I’m complaining – they’re in better shape!) We hope to see everyone at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar Boulevard) October 25-26 and November 1-2 at Midnight!
Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope captivated an entire generation in 1977, launching a saga that has been embraced by generations as a timeless epic. Now, the Star Wars saga continues with Star Wars Rebels, a new half-hour animated action series on Disney XD that introduces a thrilling cast of characters that are new to the Star Wars universe.
WAMG invites you to enter to win ONE (1) of Five copies of Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion on DVD.
ENTER YOUR NAME AND E-MAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WE WILL CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE A WINNER.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.
CONTEST ENDS –FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 11:59p est.
In Star Wars Rebels, the adventures focus on Ezra, a street-smart teenage boy who has joined a small band of rebels that engage in daring missions of sabotage and resistance against the Empire. Members of this rag-tag group of rebels include Kanan, a cowboy Jedi; Hera, an ace Twi’lek pilot; Sabine, a Mandalorian street artist who happens to be an explosives expert; Zeb, an agile fighter and the “muscle” of the group; and Chopper, the grumpy but good-hearted droid. Together this motley but clever crew of the starship Ghost face threatening villains, embark on thrilling adventures and become heroes with the power to ignite a rebellion.
Star Wars Rebels takes place between Star Wars: Episode III and IV as the Empire tightens its grip on the galaxy and a rebellion begins to form.
The voice cast includes Freddie Prinze Jr. as Kanan Jarrus, Taylor Gray as Ezra Bridger, Tiya Sircar as Sabine Wren, Steve Blum as Zeb Orrelios, Vanessa Marshall as Hera Syndulla, Jason Isaacs as the Inquisitor and David Oyelowo as Agent Kallus,
The series, executive produced by Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, and Greg Weisman, had it’s premiere as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel and airs Monday nights on Disney XD.
Following its 6.5 million Total Viewer global movie premiere weekend, Monday’s October 13th premiere telecast of the original series “Star Wars Rebels” became Disney XD’s #1 original animated series debut in the channel’s more than 15-year history in Total Viewers – delivering 1.03 million.
The great “schnozzola” Jimmy Durante’s signature catch phrase “Everybody wants ta’ get into da’ act!’ couldn’t be more true when it comers to animated features these days. Perhaps this may be a result of the incredible all-ages success of Pixar. Or it might be the love of animation held be many aging “baby boomer” film makers who awaited Saturday mornings in front of the tube (which just ended now that no broadcast networks run weekend ‘toons) or those grand ole’ special kiddie matinees. Tim Burton may have kick-started this trend by coming off his big Batman flicks to produce THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and later direct THE CORPSE BRIDE and FRANKENWEENIE. Johnny Depp and his PIRATES director scored a hit with RANGO. And recently Adam Sandler started a new franchise with HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA. New to the animation arena, but a big name in the fantasy/horror genre is Guillermo del Toro (PACIFIC RIM ). Now he’s not jumping in with a princess fairy tale or a forest animals united-type story. This new film covers much of the same territory as his PAN’S LABYRINTH and is a post-Halloween love letter to his south of the border roots. Settle back in your theatre seats and experience an entry from THE BOOK OF LIFE..
It begins as a school bus full of bored, rowdy pre-teens pulls up to the steps of a museum. Luckily their tour guide Mary Beth (voice of Christina Applegate) knows just how to entrance them. They enter through a secret magical passageway to an area dedicated to the legends and lore of Mexico. Using small carved figures, Mary Beth begins a story about a small village and the realm just below the surface, a colorful land full of spirits called the “Land of the Remembered” run by the beautiful La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), while beneath them is the dank, dismal, dark “Land of the Forgotten” lorded over by the foul Xilbaba (Ron Perlman). On the annual Day of the Dead festival, the two rulers pay a visit to the village. There they observe two boys and a girl at play. Xilbaba proposes a bet over which lad the lass will marry once they’re reached adulthood with the loser of the bet remaining in charge of the Forgotten realm. Years later the young men eagerly await the arrival of their friend’s return after years at a far-off school for young ladies. La Muerte’s choice, Manolo (Diega Luna), has been groomed to follow in a long family line of matadors, but he prefers the guitar to the sword, while Xilbaba’s pick, Joaquin (Channing Tatum), is a much decorated soldier who protects the village. When they re-unite with Maria (Zoe Saldana), all are surprised by her independent attitude (and she’s very good with a sword!). Later, a scheme by the devious Xilbaba sends one of the suitors off to his ancestors. With the help of the wise Candle Maker (Ice Cube), can he make his way back to the land of the living in time to save the village from an unstoppable bandit army?
Just two weeks ago I remarked that THE BOXTROLLS was a visual feast. Well I could say the same for this film, although it may be more of a spicy, Latin buffet. While the denizens of Cheeseburg had a squishy, pliable look owing to the stop motion figures, BOOK’s main characters look to be carved right out of different varieties of wood. But this film is made up of pixels which simulates the look of string puppets or marionettes (no bouncing from overhead wires, though). The modern-day museums wrap-arounds have the usual CGI rounded feel, but Manolo and Joaquin in particular have great carved, smoothed heads while their arms seem to be composed of wired together blocks. the hands separate as the fingers curl. Instead of knees, their legs bend with a middle hinge. Several of the village extras (like the ineffectual soldier) have a built-up 2D effect with eyes and lips jutting out of the side of the head like Picasso’s art. The backgrounds are just as striking. The village has a golden, dusty, lived-in beauty. Below, in the land of the Remembered, it’s a dazzling fiesta with explosions of color. Farther below is a cool mix of mists and moonlight broken up by a wonderful living statue and an ornate maze to challenge the hero. The skeletal denizens have intricate designs carved around their faces with deep, black eyes and holes where the nose should be. One of the best character designs is the hulking bandit leader whose arms flail about like spiked cannonballs atop “slinkees”. This is a world that begs to be explored again and again.
All the voice actors are superb with kudos to Luna who croons several new and classic tunes (including an Elvis standard). Gustavo Santaolalla’s original score weaves in familiar ballads and makes good use of a signature riff from Ennio Morricone. Director Jorge R. Guiterrez (who co-wrote the script with Douglas Langdale) keeps the dramatic story flowing while including many wonderful sight gags and tossed-off humorous asides. The very young viewers may get a tad spooked by the spooks and ghoulies, but older audiences, including adults, will be mesmerized by the stunning visuals and clever script. Here’s hoping that there will be at least one more volume of THE BOOK OF LIFE.
Nicholas Sparks latest romantic flick THE BEST OF ME has finally proven that the same, formulaic love story doesn’t always end up successful.
THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two high school sweethearts that run back into each other after returning to their hometown after 21 years for a funeral. Soon, their romance reignites, and the two seem to finally be back on track. The only problem is that the trouble that caused their initial split begins to loom. Can their love survive another trip down memory lane?
If you’ve ever seen a Nicholas Spark film you already know the answer to the above question.
Let me start off by saying that I do not hate the work of Nicholas Sparks. I enjoyed THE NOTEBOOK. I might not have gone gaga over it like the rest of the world, but I really enjoyed it. I also liked this more than NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, which is on my list of most hated movies. This film did not make that list. I think Sparks is a passionate guy that can tell a great story. My complaint is that he needs to stop telling the same one and give us something new!
THE BEST OF ME follows the same formula as every other Nicholas Sparks film. I will dub this formula ‘SPARKANOMICS’.
1. Opposites Attract: A couple who shouldn’t be together throw caution to the wind and fall for each other.
2. Letters Galore: Despite the year, this head-over-heels couple contain their feelings, and must express themselves by putting pen to paper. Even if that beautiful envelope doesn’t see a mailbox, the person addressed on the front will always find it.
3. The Obstacle: No one can remain happy. Something tragic or crazy always has to show up and pee in everyone’s Cheerios.
4. Kissing While Wet: This can happen at any point in the movie. At some point, it’s going to rain, or these crazy kids are going to go swimming. What goes with water? Face eating. Always. Someone grab the towels!
4. Reunited And It Feels So Good: Screw everything that has, is or will happen! Love is stronger than anything, and this is the ‘rush into each others arms’ moment.
5. Duhn-Duhn-Duhhhhhhn! You guessed it. Doom. For some odd reason Nicholas Sparks feels the need to kill off one, or both of the main characters in all of his films.
6. Life Is Beautiful: This is the conclusion where the final lesson is presented to the audience. Despite all of the horrible obstacles, love is still more powerful. It’s a gift and we should appreciate it while we have it. Aww!
There you go. You have now seen every Nicholas Sparks film without ever having to actually watch them. This predictable formula is present in every one of his films. How are we, as the audience, still falling for it?
I guess I should talk about this film, even though you already know all about it based on the formula. THE BEST OF ME follows ‘SPARKANOMICS’ to a tee. The story itself is watered down, and feels like it was half-assed and slapped on a screen. When you have a tried-and-true method to make money I guess you don’t really have to try anymore. What makes this sad is that the acting was great. James Marsden and Luke Bracey were incredible as Dawson and younger Dawson. The same goes for Michelle Monaghan and Loana Liberato as Amanda and younger Amanda. Both pairings, Marsden and Monaghan, and Bracey and Liberato had incredible chemistry together. They pulled the audience in with their emotional ranges. Unfortunately, there is only so much they can do to help the film. By the time one of the characters dies (Calm down. This isn’t a spoiler. It happens in every movie!) I found myself scoffing at the screen. I actually hoped that this one would be different. Sigh.
I don’t know why, but timelines are completely thrown out of the window in terms of costume and set, much like every other film. Crap! Add that to the list! The flashback scenes are supposed to be happening in 1992, but feel more like the 50’s or 60’s. The same odd sense of time happens during the present day scenes, with the exception of one iPhone. I get wanting things to have a sense of timelessness, but I like the feeling of a realistic decade on-screen.
There are only two things that I will congratulate this film on. One is being the first film to stray as much as it did from the book. I’m not saying that it’s good for the story, but at least director Michael Hoffman tried. The second is the use the Cowboy Junkies version of ‘Sweet Jane’ deserves a high-five. That’s a damn good song!
If you are looking for movie that feels like you’ve seen it before, then this is the film for you. If you want romance, I suggest you save your money and just re-watch THE NOTEBOOK.
The modern world is both complicated and yet very simplified. One on one conversations and the work that is required to converse in person with someone has been replaced with email or a quick text message. An expression of deep sadness or eternal gratitude has been replaced by an emoji icon. Even a feeling that is specific to you in that very moment has been replaced with universal acronyms like WTF or OMG. These are all instances of how life has become inanely simple, but where the complication comes into play is how so much is lost in translation. Communication is a defining part of our humanity and yet it has become secondary (or even less) to other factors in our busy lives. We are all running around with our head down in our own bubble. Because of this the modern world can be seen as a rather cold and unwelcoming place.
Jason Reitman does more than just show you this side of the world with his new film MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN; he practically slams your face repeatedly into the digital screen as to wake us up to a very real problem. His adaptation of Chad Kultgen’s novel of the same name is as unsubtle as I assume the source material is. This is Reitman’s fourth adaptation of an original novel and his track record proves he is drawn to material that is loud and proud. THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, UP IN THE AIR, and now this all leave any form of subtext at the door. The message here seems that technology has created a rift in our everyday lives. But in telling a story about how emotionless and distant we have become with one another, Reitman has in fact achieved his goal by giving the audience what he wanted to showcase but maybe not the experience he exactly intended – a herd of mindless drones that we don’t actually care about.
In a way that recalls the work of Robert Altman, the film revolves around a large cast of… yes, you guessed it… the title is indeed correct. Several families and their subsequent problems are interweaved with one another. Adam Sandler plays a father and husband that struggles to connect with his wife and kids and turns to an escort that he found online for solace. Judy Greer plays a mother who encourages her daughter’s modeling career through overly sexual photo shoots that she orchestrates and posts online. Ansel Elgort and Kaitlyn Dever play two high school teens who form a connection despite their parents pulling them in different directions; Elgort is feeling the guilt of quitting the football team in favor of focusing on his online Warcraft-esque game and Dever is dealing with an overly protective mother played by Jennifer Garner who reads and monitors her daughter’s Facebook profile and text messages. All of this and so much more are spotlighted in a tech trendy manner with a dash of “classic” narration by Emma Thompson – in a role that seems only to stroke the ego of screenwriter and novelist Chad Kultgen.
Having such a large and diverse cast does mean that there are going to be some standouts amongst the rest. Elgort and Dever as the star-crossed lovers deliver a very real and believable relationship, even if sparks aren’t exactly ignited. The same could be said about the relationship between Dean Norris and Judy Greer. Norris in particular carries a level of heartache in his scenes that feels genuine even if it is just another dramatic element for Reitman to overstress.
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN is a dreary drama that sticks to its style at the cost of the audience’s enjoyment. Reading text messages and Internet searches across the screen become tiresome, and seeing one note characters shamble through their unhappy lives is indeed quite a drag. Aside from a scene where one of the characters is getting her photo taken, I’m almost certain no one actually smiles in the film. The same could be said about the audience. I’m all for a heavy relationship drama. I love characters that have to overcome a problem with their significant other or with a friend or foe. However, good drama rests entirely on characters successfully interacting with one another while simultaneously engaging the audience. When you have a film where the basis of the story is about these artificial connections, how are we supposed to connect with them if they can’t even connect with each other?
Overall rating: 2 out of 5
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN opens in wide release this Friday, Oct. 17
