films in brief

The OH! in Ohio -

I remember people really looking forward to this indie debut and then it disappearing quickly. I hadn't heard much good about it, which was disappointing, because the duo of Parker Posey and OMCK (official man-crush king) Paul Rudd tantalized me. But honestly? It's not so bad. It goes in weird directions, but this is a solid quirky indie story about love and sex. And Rudd is hilarious in his grouch-slacker mode. You could watch it just for him. Posey lets loose as a sexually frustrated woman seeking answers. It's funny with some nice acting by these two faves. I don't see why it died down. It's worth a shot for all us Rudd admirers.

Fifty Pills -

We caught this late on cable primarily for the involvement of Kristen Bell. She's cute, but she can't save this half-arsed college tale about a kid who needs to sell 50 ecstasy tablets in one day to pay his tuition. The people who wrote this probably THOUGHT they were hilarious and had another Rules of Attraction / Go / Igby Goes Down on their hands, but, well, they failed. It's annoying at best.

[We also caught another late-night cable movie, Deepwater, for the same reason. Wasn't any better, and she only had two brief scenes. Alas.]

Don't Look Now -

We saw a primer for this 70's thriller on Halloween Random Scary Movie List week and it looked cool. I have to say, scary movies from this time are usually good. This one is interesting, but it gets weird. I love the zippy 70's style, and Donald Sutherland in his fro, but it almost dragged. The action doesn't really come in until late, but it is captivating and well shot. It was directed by Nicholas Roeg, who had a weird career but was a cinematographer for some great directors. It's a weird but interesting take for fans of horror and films of this era.

I Could Never Be Your Woman

I have always loved Paul Rudd, from his appearance in Clueless to his association with members of The State in films like Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten. He carries this film to a sweet level. You might have loved him before, but in the rare case you didn't, you will now. He's a struggling actor and the love interest of TV producer Michelle Pfeiffer, who is in charge of a Degrassi- type teen show. She leans on him as her new star (yes, he's playing an actor, who is playing a high schooler, when he's almost 40 in real life, which is part of the fun). She also leans on her daughter, Saoirse Ronan, better known as the young girl in Atonement, for hip new ideas and high school slang. This is a pretty funny satire of Hollywood, a charming rom com, and a warm family story all at once. Amy Heckerling, who directed Clueless and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, scores again with a fun look at life in SoCal that has heart. In fact, I'd say it's a lot like Clueless: cute, but also much funnier and more interesting than you expected.

So why, you may be wondering, haven't you heard of it? Well, basically, Heckerling got the shaft from studios. They bounced it around and never gave it a theatrical release, even though it's very deserving of one. Unbelievable. The only thing I can find wrong with it is a strange character played by Tracey Ullman, who acts like Pfeiffer's conscience. She's annoying, but that's about it. This is a really likable film, and you'd think they capitalize on Rudd's growing popularity. See it for him (and sweet cameos from Jon Lovitz, Fred Willard, Wallace Shawn, and the Fonz) and love the Rudd like never before.