Tag: Humpday

Tribeca 2012 Review: YOUR SISTER’S SISTER

With a title like YOUR SISTER’S SISTER, I was expecting to see something more along the lines of a Nicholas Sparks or Danielle Steel adaptation rather than the truly hilarious and heartfelt sort-of romantic-dramedy it turned out to be. Jack (Mark Duplass) has had a rough time dealing with the death of his brother, which happened exactly one year ago. Jack’s best friend / late brother’s ex, Iris (Emily Blunt), gives him the keys to her father’s remote cabin for a little alone time to relax and reflect on his life. Once there, he discovers Iris’ sister Hanna (Rosemarie DeWitt) is already staying at the cabin after ending a 7-year relationship with her girlfriend. After a drunken night of confession, Jack and Hanna sleep together only to be woken up the next morning by the arrival of Iris, who decided Jack shouldn’t be entirely alone after all. You may think you know where this is going but the film will still surprise you.

YOUR SISTER’S SISTER is done in the same loose and largely improvised style of Lynn Shelton’s previous films; however, it feels much more refined here. This is partly due to an upgrade in equipment but it also seems like Shelton has grown as a filmmaker both in terms of storytelling and visuals. True, there is not much story to work with but the three main characters are fully realized and a joy to watch, which is great considering they are the only ones on screen for the majority of the running time. Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt are all fantastic, bringing their roles to life with a naturalistic but never ordinary approach. Most of the comedy stems from their rapid-fire dialogue, which is equally witty and earnest.

The film is not without flaws but they are so minimal in comparison to all that it gets right. While the editing is fairly tight for this kind of style, there are a few moments that tend to linger on just a little too long, especially during a montage towards the end. Speaking of the end, I personally felt it concluded perfectly but those who prefer everything to be wrapped up may be upset when the credits begin scrolling. The story may not be the most original, nor are some of the situations, but the manner in which they are presented in makes it all feel fresh and authentic.

Despite being a fan of Shelton’s HUMPDAY and this film’s solid cast, I was just not really looking forward to seeing this. I really think the title played a large part in that but the less than riveting description found in the Tribeca guide probably didn’t help either. On the advice of several people at the festival, I gave the film a chance and I’m so glad I did. Not only was it one of the best films there but also one of the finest I’ve seen this year. IFC Films will be releasing the film next month and I highly recommend you make an effort to seek it out.

Jerry Cavallaro – @GetStuck – JerryCavallaro.com

Review: ‘Humpday’

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You would be hard pressed to find something more hot than the man love that goes on in Lynn Shelton’s ‘Humpday’. In fact, you can probably bet that you have never seen “bromance” like this before.

When this movie hit Sundance this past year it immediately started to get buzz because it has such a great storyline, and the characters Lynn created as so stimulating you cant help but fall in love with all of them. It was being touted as a “mumblecore” movie which at the time made absolutely no sense to me since that term does nothing to describe the actual genre, or style of the film. Basically what “mumblecore” really boils down to is low budget, indie films that are mostly improvised. Looking up that term on Wikipedia lends the names of Lynn Shelton and Mark Duplass (who along with Joshua Leonard stars in ‘Humpday’) as primary directors for this genre of film.

The story is the classic boy marries girl, boys best friend visits and they decide to make an amateur porn film of themselves having sex…wait, maybe not your classic story but one that comes off brilliantly. Ben (Mark Duplass) and Anna (Alycia Delmore) are a recently married couple who are trying to conceive their first child. After a ridiculous attempt the night before they are awakened by loud knocks on the front door at 2am. Ben does his man duty to see who it is, only to realize that its his best friend Andrew(Joshua Leonard) who has recently returned from Mexico and in need of a place to crash while he is in town. After hanging out for a while Ben and Anna make him a place in the laundry room while they discuss how off the wall his showing up was.

The next day Anna decides to make a dinner for all of them in an attempt to get to know Andrew better. Ben gets a hold of him to find out his plans and Andrew invites him to come hang out at this girls house who he met at a coffee shop earlier that day. Not surprised by this Ben goes over to invite him back for the pork chop dinner that Anna is preparing, only to get caught up in the careless fun they are having.

After a few hours of drinking and debauchery, the group starts talking about the amateur porn festival Humpfest in Seattle which Andrew is going to enter a video into. When Ben inquires about it he is called out by his buddy that he wouldn’t be allowed to do something that risque and hints to the fact that he is whipped. Ben combats this by saying he could and would enter a video and they decide the most “artistic” video would be two straight guys having sex. Ben suggests that he and Andrew make said video to prove he is willing but Andrew wouldn’t be. Andrew then decides its a good idea and Ben calls to book the hotel room for the man love that will inevitably go down.

Without ruining the entire movie and spoil what is about to happen in the story I will stop there, an asshole thing to do right? Well not really, you need to go out and see this movie because I don’t do it justice I am certain. Joshua Leonard and Mark Duplass are outstanding in this film and despite being almost entirely improved none of the scenes feel forced, some are awkward but never forced or unreal. This is the first thing I have ever seen Alycia Delmore in and cant wait to see him in more because she is delightful and really pulls off her role with ease.

Lynn Shelton has created an indie masterpiece and I hope that this movie becomes an extreme financial success because if anyone is more deserving it is her. I would also like to say that Magnolia Pictures has really impressed me with their recent acquisitions and I am very glad that they found a home for ‘Humpday’. Here are the dates that you can go out and see ‘Humpday’ near you.

Interview: Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard

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We have been talking about ‘Humpday’ since its premiere at Sundance earlier this year so all of our loyal readers should know a bit about it by now. For those of you who don’t, the film is about two straight guys who decide to have sex on camera for an amateur porn festival called Humpfest. I’ve been describing the film to friends as ‘I Love You, Man’ meets ‘Zack and Miri Make A Porno’.

Yesterday I got the chance to speak with Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard, who play the friends looking to complete the “beyond gay” art project. Listen below to hear us talk about the film and a possible sequel and to get some very sound advice for making indie films. Mark also talks about his (and his brother’s) still untitled John C. Reilly/Jonah Hill/Marissa Tomei flick, why mumblecore is a dead term and a remake he would like to tackle. This interview is so awesome, Josh walked away with a bloody nose. Check it out now!

‘Humpday’ opens in New York and Seattle today! Here is a complete list of which theaters and the dates the movie will be showing in.

Jerry Cavallaro – www.AreYouStuckLikeChuck.com

CineVegas Interview: Joshua Leonard

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During CineVegas Jeremy got a chance to sit down with Joshua Leonard, who stars alongside Mark Duplass in the indie sensation ‘Humpday‘ which hits theaters on July 10th. The interview was conducted in an actual theater, as you can tell by the surroundings, was shot by our awesome camera dude AJ Meadows, and edited by the amazing Matt Stuertz.

Check out the interview below, and make sure you go see ‘Humpday‘ this weekend!

Here is a list of which theaters and the dates the movie will be showing in.

CineVegas Review: ‘Humpday’

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What would you do to prove the strength of your friendship with someone? How far would you go? OK, now what is the most extreme thing you would do with a friend of the same sex to show how much they mean to you? Sure, ‘Humpday’ is a comedy, but the film is just as much a playful story of two guys who are the best of friends, who made a promise to each other and find that keeping that promise may prove more difficult than they had imagined.

Director Lynn Shelton, who also plays the role of the bi-sexual artsy friend Monica, has created another entry into the fresh new genre of dramedy known by those in the know as “mumblecore” and it is a delightful success. The film stars Mark Duplas (The Puffy Chair) and Josh Leonard (The Blair Witch Project) as two old college buddies who are suddenly reunited when Andrew (Leonard) shows up unannounced at 2am for a visit with Ben (Duplas) at his home in the suburbs.

Having traveled the world and experienced all kinds of things, Andrew has become the open-minded art-loving free-spirited type, while Ben has gotten married with a good job and a nice house in the burbs. Surprised, but happy to see Andrew, Ben and his reluctantly understanding wife Anna (Alycia Delmore) welcome Andrew into their home as the two friends quickly begin catching up on old times and reminiscing about the past.

The following night, Andrew invites Ben and Alycia over to Monica’s place for an all-out Dionysus party. Ben agrees to stop by to put in some face time, despite Anna’s prior plans to make them dinner and get to know Andrew better. What ensues is an orgy of alcohol and marijuana that leads Ben to stay for hours while Anna waits for him to return home. The catalyst for both the comedy and drama of ‘Humpday’ occurs with an idea that Ben comes up with after they learn from Monica about an erotic video art fest called HumpFest.

Uninhibited and high as a kite on the hookah, Ben suggests that the only way this would be worthwhile would be to come up with an idea that has never been done, otherwise it’s just more typical porn. His idea is for him and Andrew to have sex with each other on film as two straight guys depicting the depth of their friendship. What seems to be a brilliant and artistically worthy concept turns into a dilemma for the two friends the next morning as they realize the implications of what they have set in motion.

Ben must now attempt to convey and gain Anna’s approval and acceptance of this bizarre project, but the overwhelmingly difficult task at hand is for Ben and Andrew to overcome the strain the next 24 hours will put on their friendship. Initially touched upon as a mistake, Ben abruptly reinterprets their agreement as both a crucial symbol of their friendship and as a way to prove his marriage and current life has not completely destroyed the more adventurous and open-minded side of himself that he sees in Andrew.

On the flip side, Andrew appears to be more conflicted with the proposition than Ben as he begins to question his own true self and whether the person he is being is completely false to the person he actually is. Neither of the two friends will back down, fearing that if they do it will tarnish the trust they have with each other and damage their friendship. In the face of pride, Ben and Andrew put aside any beneficial sense of humility and agree to uphold their promise to follow through with this project.

From here, ‘Humpday’ truly makes it’s mark as the real impact of the story takes place during Ben and Andrew’s time together in the hotel room rented with the purpose of filming themselves having sex for the sake of art. Perhaps one of the most uncomfortable situations two straight men could possibly put themselves into, the second half of ‘Humpday’ becomes a hilarious but thoughtful meditation on where to draw the line between platonic love and sexual love.

Ben and Andrew must first determine whether or not to even act on this agreement and if so, how to go about making it work, not just for themselves but also as a worthwhile work of art. The film is shot handheld with an understated production value to create the sense of realism and feeling that we’re witnessing these two friends experience this awkward scenario in real time, as it happens. The emotions of the story are just as effective as the humor and even the mystery of whether or not these two friends will actually carry out this project plays a prominent role in the overall success of the movie.

‘Humpday’ is an extremely satisfying movie that will make the audience laugh, think and maybe even choke up a bit in spots. Shelton manages to convey the controversial aspect of the story without relying on a shock value approach that would offend many viewers, but also manages to highlight the touching and poignant side of the story as well with the help of great performances from Duplas and Leonard that are grounded in reality, despite being greatly improvised. Alycia Delmore also delivers an outstanding performance, who portrays the extremely complex and unbearable emotions of what Anna must endure at the mercy of Ben and Andrew with exacting and powerful clarity.

I highly recommend seeing ‘Humpday’ for the important work of cinematic art that it is, not just the comedy that it offers on the surface. Realizing the subject matter will likely, and undeservedly, turn some people off, I ask that any reservations regarding the content be put aside and assure the only reasonable offense to be taken from ‘Humpday’ would require a distaste for meaningful storytelling about the true nature of friendship.

CineVegas 2009 Preview: ‘Humpday’

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CineVegas 2009 is right around the corner (this week to be precise), and We Are Movie Geeks are going to be there in full force. Throughout the festival, which runs from June 10th through the 15th, we are going to be bringing you all the coverage you need including reviews, interviews, party breakdowns, and red carpet premiere coverage.

Have you ever propositioned your wife to participate in an amateur porn film festival? Me either, but that’s exactly what happens in ‘Humpday’. Ben and Andrew are best friends, who after getting really messed up at a party, decide that it would be the ultimate form of art for 2 straight guys to have sex with each other in order to submit the tape to ‘Humpfest’. — Scott

Here’s the film’s synopsis:

It’s been a decade since Ben and Andrew were the bad boys of their college campus. Ben has settled down and found a job, wife, and home. Andrew took the alternate route as a vagabond artist. When Andrew shows up, unannounced, on Ben’s doorstep, they easily fall back into their old dynamic of heterosexual one-upmanship. After a night of perfunctory carousing, the two find themselves locked in a mutual dare: to enter an amateur porn contest. But what kind of boundary-breaking porn can two dudes make? After the booze and “big talk” run out, only one idea remains—they will have sex together on camera. Judging by writer and director Lynn Shelton, it takes a talented woman to unearth the biggest ironies in the male ego. HUMPDAY is a buddy movie gone wild. The three lead actors deliver fine-tuned performances amidst postmodern patter and tight, crisp storytelling. Shelton’s command of her craft shines brightest when our two gentlemen finally get down to the task at hand: creating a classic “wriggle in your seat” moment of truth.

‘Humpday’ screens on Saturday, June 13 at 8:00 pm.

‘Humpday’ is tearing it up at Cannes

AMC posted about blog this morning after talking to Mark Duplass(left) and Josh Leonard(right) during the Cannes film festival. Mark and Josh were talking about the humbling experience it has been for them having ‘Humpday’ at the festival. Check out part of it here:

“We found out a few months before the official announcement came in. It kind of blew my mind, to be honest. This is a tiny, tiny movie made with friends… the fact that it’s come this far is kinda surreal still. …”

When asked if they had been taking part in any of the Cannes festivities they had this to say:

“Josh almost got arrested trying to get into a big film premiere. Twice.
That, and the four minute standing ovation we got for the premiere of Humpday. Or, maybe it was the 75 year-old Frenchman (who) asked me in a Q&A if Josh and I were homos in real life. Tough call… it’s been a good few days. …”

I am really stoked that this movie is doing so well. The director and stars of the film are all great people and deserve everything they get from the flick. Make sure you go out and see it when its released on July 10th!

Trailer for ‘Humpday’ is fantastic

Apparently I have been slacking since this trailer has been out on the web for a week and we are just now bringing it to you. The trailer for ‘Humpday’, which everyone fell in love with at Sundance, is out and you need to be watching it.

This movie is also included in our 19 Movies you Need to see this Summer, or we aren’t your friends! list and it is something you should seek out when it releases on July 10th.

Sundance Review: ‘Humpday’

Have you ever propositioned your wife to participate in an amateur porn film festival? Me either, but that’s exactly what happens in ‘Humpday’. Ben and Andrew are best friends, who after getting really messed up at a party, decide that it would be the ultimate form of art for 2 straight guys to have sex with each other in order to submit the tape to ‘Humpfest’.

Ben and Anna are a recently married couple who are trying to have a baby. One night his best friend Andrew shows up at 2 am needing a place to crash. Andrew is more of a free spirit and hooks up with a bi-sexual woman at a coffee shop and tells Ben he needs to come over and meet them. What he finds when he gets there is basically a hippie house full of people who like to party, chill and have a good time. After telling his wife that he would be home in time for supper after putting in “face time” he instead gets high, drunk and decides to proposition Andrew about making the tape. I wont go too far into the plot and ruin it for you, but lets just say it takes Bromance to a whole new level.

One of the greatest scenes in the movie was between Ben and Andrew, where Ben tells a story of first moving to Seattle and rented movies from a video store called Island Video. He developed a man crush on the video store clerk and watched 10 discs in a series of documentaries that he absolutely hated, but kept watching them to interact with the clerk. Then he mentions that he quickly lost the man crush when he was thinking about his balls.

I would like to mention that the actress who played Anna, Alycia Delmore, is not only absolutely stunning but played this part perfectly. This is her second movie and I am very excited to see what else she has on the horizon.

Lynn Shelton has made a great flick that I hope everyone has the chance to see, and even makes a cameo in the movie as the bi-sexual woman that Andrew meets and attempts to hook up with.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5