Directed by Michael Lehmann There's an obvious bit of Bonnie and Clyde to Heathers, but in recent years so too can you find reasons to compare it to Mean Girls (2004), World's Greatest Dad (2009) and even Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's a strange, dark comedy about a series of murders at a high school which the powers that be … Continue reading Heathers (1988)
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Funny Ha Ha (2002)
Directed by Andrew Bujalski It's hard to describe the appeal of Funny Ha Ha. It's an early entry, perhaps the first, in the unofficial "mumble core" movement, those films made on tiny budgets among friends, possibly improvised and with not so great sound quality. These are stories about young adults working their way through their young … Continue reading Funny Ha Ha (2002)
It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988)
Directed by Richard Linklater In his first film, Richard Linklater plays an aimless young man who wanders the western half of the country with no specific destination. He begins in Austin, then spends time in Montana and California and plenty of time on trains in between. His journey, in its own way, is like that … Continue reading It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988)
Izzy Gets the Fuck Across Town (2017)
Directed by Christian Papierniak Izzy Gets the Fuck Across Town is a punk rock little movie made in the style of something from the early 90s, deeply colored with qualities of other Gen X movies. Mackenzie Davis plays Izzy, down on her luck and stewing in her own misery. When she learns that her ex-boyfriend Roger (Alex … Continue reading Izzy Gets the Fuck Across Town (2017)
Singles (1992)
Directed by Cameron Crowe Singles is a tough hang. It's deeply immersed in the same Gen X culture as Reality Bites, Slacker and the tv show Friends, but Cameron Crowe's second film has none of the commentary or unbridled energy of those films (and show). We're presented with a specific time and place, much more about the atmosphere … Continue reading Singles (1992)
With Honors (1994)
Directed by Alek Keshishian In With Honors a young, handsome, cocky Harvard senior, Monty (Brendan Fraser) bonds with an old bum, Simon (Joe Pesci), who has stumbled across the last copy of the thesis Monty needs to graduate with honors. Recognizing the value of the 83 remaining pages, Simon makes a deal to exchange each page for … Continue reading With Honors (1994)
Code Unkown (2000)
Directed by Michael Haneke *This post is longer than it should be because I try to figure out how best to describe my affections for a movie I probably don't yet really understand. So I figured I'd love Code Unknown going in, and I do. This says less about the film and more about what piques … Continue reading Code Unkown (2000)
Reality Bites (1994)
Directed by Ben Stiller Set in Texas in the early 90s and co-starring Ethan Hawke, Reality Bites has a lot in common with a Richard Linklater movie, at least on the surface. This Ben Stiller-directed comedy is a post-grad story following a group of Generation X-ers, though Stiller and the studio were careful not to mention … Continue reading Reality Bites (1994)