Directed by Lynn Shelton A lot of my favorite movies are about personal journeys, often those of people who seem to be relatively privileged, all things considered.  For example, Noah Baumbach's 2012 film Frances Ha.  It's about a woman in her mid-20s struggling to figure life out in New York.  When I read other reviews of that … Continue reading Touchy Feely (2013)

Directed by the Duplass Brothers The Puffy Chair, a low budget affair by the Duplass Brothers, begins with a seemingly happy couple getting into a sudden fight, and that tension hangs over the rest of the film until they break up in the final scene. There is a growing distance between Josh (Mark Duplass) and … Continue reading The Puffy Chair (2005)

Directed by the Coen Brothers Raising Arizona is the Coen Brothers' second film, after Blood Simple (1984), immediately establishing their ability and willingness to go from gripping drama to absurdist comedy.  This film is smothered in broad comedy, extreme personalities and oversimplifications, but underneath there is some heart.  The film treats its characters with affection, but … Continue reading Raising Arizona (1987)

Directed by Richard Linklater Slacker doesn't have a protagonist.  You can't even really say the city (Austin, TX) is a protagonist because I get the impression that the characters in this film can and do exist anywhere.  The film is centered on a particular demographic and age.  A 'slacker' could be any number of things, … Continue reading Slacker (1991)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch The only other film by Jarmusch that I have seen so far is his first film, 1980's Permanent Vacation.  This film, like that one, spends a lot of time wandering.  You begin to wonder what the point is or whether or not there even is one.  Silence usually means something, though, and … Continue reading Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

Directed by Noah Baumbach Kicking and Screaming feels like it's in the middle of a bunch of different genres and directions.  In one instance it feels like an American Pie type of comedy, then it becomes more Linklater-esque (similar to 1994's Before Sunrise).  The film doesn't simply transition from one type of film into another, but rather it … Continue reading Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Directed by David Lynch I can only describe this film using what I understood, and the more I think about it, the less I know.  Mulholland Dr. is so purposefully mysterious, letting you know upfront that a lot of things won't make sense unless you investigate.  The film forces you to be vigilant. I need … Continue reading Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a pretty small movie in terms of scope.  The film follows four characters and hardly has anytime for anyone else except for a bar patron and a couple office coworkers who make an occasional appearance.  The world of the story is heavily concentrated in the lives … Continue reading Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)

Directed by Sofia Coppola The Virgin Suicides is about a group of girls who are picked apart by their parents, the media, other kids and the town as a whole.  Their whole situation is a little absurd, certainly heightened and never taken as seriously as it should be.  Even the deaths themselves are so shocking that … Continue reading The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch Permanent Vacation, Jarmusch's first film, is only 74 minutes long, and yet it spends a lot of time doing nothing.  The story follows a kid named Allie, a drifter, as he, well, drifts through New York City, getting a glimpse into the lives of a variety of characters before moving on. … Continue reading Permanent Vacation (1980)