Sleepwalk With Me

Mike Birbiglia.

I've learned to accept my flaws, or at least one of them, of late. I can prepare all I want to, but if I have the opportunity to speak to someone I admire and there is a big group of people there as well, it's just not going to happen. Words have yet to be exchanged between myself and Anthony Bourdain, David Carr and now Mike Birbiglia because of it.
For my job, while I do have to prepare and sometimes work up the confidence to do it, I can ask the important questions. Unfortunately none of the aforementioned superstars (in my book) have been at events I need to cover for work.
But just listening to what they have to say is enough for me. I actually just became a fan of Mike Birbiglia with all the buzz about his movie "Sleepwalk With Me." And, through my extensive research in the last week or so, I found out he would be doing a Q&A at the Uptown Theater during its grand opening weekend.

Uptown Theater.

The theater was renovated during the last year, thank goodness, and opened to sold out shows of Birbiglia's film based on his off-Broadway show of the same name. He wrote the screenplay with Ira Glass (This American Life), Joe Birbiglia (brother), and Seth Barrish, who also co-directed the film. Birbiglia starred in the film alongside Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, and comedians Kristen Schaal, David Wain and Marc Maron.
Due to my shyness I won't know why he acted in the film as the character Matt Pandamiglio, although it is pretty funny name, instead of just using his own.
That just doesn't fit because the film portrays such a personal story about Birbiglia's relationship with his girlfriend Abby (played by Ambrose), the start of his career as a comedian, and his sleepwalking disorder.
But I can't even complain about that because I loved, loved, loved this movie so much.
Birbiglia breaks up the story with his narration and commentary, which gives the viewer a real understanding of what he was going through.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I could relate to him, but that's not a bad thing, it's just a sign of how personal the story is. And I admire Birbiglia for that. It's one thing to do a comedy show about something where, even if everyone in the audience is not a fan, most of them probably bought tickets knowing what they were getting into.
Films go out to mass audiences, such as the parents of a film student sitting next to me, or a 12-year-old boy the next row over (who did have the guts to ask Birbiglia a question, sigh).
I wanted to ask Birbiglia, if for that reason, was it difficult to decide to make a film about a personal story versus a fictional piece?
But, because I'm a chicken, I'll just have to assume Birbiglia was meant to make this movie, not something else.
The 12-year-old boy asked Birbiglia if he had a problem with sleepwalking as a kid. Others in the audience asked what his family thought of the movie and why he decided to narrate the story in the past tense.
He did sleepwalk as a kid, "but not like this," Birbiglia said, and his family liked the film. He said he was nervous about that more than anything else because in the past they have not liked any of his work.
If you want to know more about Birbiglia, I recommend listening to his interviews on "The Nerdist."
He talks there about his now ex-girlfriend's input on the film, the relationship themes it touches on, as well as using truth in comedy.
Comedy is a way for both the performers and audience to laugh about what makes them uncomfortable or tough situations in life, Birbiglia has said (also on The Nerdist).
Birbiglia didn't get any laughs for his jokes about the Cookie Monster, but when he did a bit about not wanting to get married until he was sure nothing else good could happen in his life, audiences started to chuckle.
Since I started following Birbiglia on Twitter and liked him on Facebook, I learned the films "High Fidelity" and "Once" also inspired him in the making of "Sleepwalk With Me" into a movie.
Both those stories are also about the mix of career goals, the obstacles of life, and relationship reality.
As I said before, I admire Birbiglia. Why? Because he put a very personal story out there for mass audiences to critique. Not surprisingly, I have yet to hear anything bad about it.
People coming out of the show as I waited in line were saying, "that was so good" and, "that was awesome." One woman even said it was her second time seeing the film in just two days.
"Sleepwalk With Me" is actually available to order on cable already, but I had to see it in the theater knowing Birbiglia would be there. It was surreal to see him in real life minutes after he was just on film in front of me.
I am hoping he comes back to the Twin Cities on tour. I doubt it will be in the 'burbs where I work, but maybe I'll use my press badge to force myself to speak to him.

Dance Dance Revolution: Step Up and Footloose

I've been on a bit of a Channing Tatum kick lately - which has since turned into the beginnings of a dance movie retrospective. I am not ashamed to admit it started with Step Up and the second showing was Footloose, which I actually had never seen before. I only rented Step Up because of the aforementioned Tatum, but the movie wasn't all that bad. I give it a three on the cheese factor scale. Plus he married his costar, how cute is that?

I actually wasn't even going to write about Step Up, but I found an interesting (at least to me) parallel between the two movies in how they exemplify what my generation and "kids these days" have to choose from at the box office.
It can be dangerous for a product of the 1980s like myself to watch a movie from that era, case in point Footloose, for the first time as an adult. Luckily, Footloose does hold its own and even people who never wore stone-washed jeans and jelly shoes should watch that one and not the remake from last year.
The target audience for the recent version may not even know where the inspiration for Kevin Bacon's role came from, just like I don't even know who the star of it (Kenny Wormald) is.

Maybe I deserve some criticism for not seeing Footloose in its heyday, but in my defense I was only 3 when it actually hit the big screen so it would have been some time before I caught up to it anyway. At 31? Why not?
It's no worse than seeing Step Up at my age. While I enjoyed that movie more than I thought I would, my point is the target audience for Step Up can't appreciate a movie like that as much when they haven't been exposed to classics in the toe-tapping genre.
Channing Tatum will probably have a solid career 30 years from now, but I certainly can't imagine anyone reminiscing about Step Up vs. an iconic movie like Footloose.
Numbers from the box office may prove me wrong someday with Footloose at No. 6 and Step Up at No. 7 among the top grossing dance movies from 1977 until now, but money isn't everything.
Magic Mike is to date the top grossing movie of them all, with Black Swan in second followed by Saturday Night Fever and Flashdance.
Full disclosure, I haven't seen those two movies, yet. But given their staying power on the list I think they will match my theory of living in the best of both worlds with a 1981 birth date.
The wheel is always being reinvented and I don't mind artists who do that because, at least for now, there is also just as much original content out there.
The question is, will it get to the point where it's all been done before and appreciation of the original gets lost?
Maybe this a little bit deep for a post that started out talking about dance movies, but they just made me think about the state of culture and film right now.
Ren McCormack can always lighten things up. "Hey, hey! What's this I see? I thought this was a party. Let's Dance!"
On that note, I only have Staying Alive (after Saturday Night Fever), Flashdance and Fame on my list. Send some recommendations my way, please!

Catching up: The Postman Always Rings Twice, Celeste and Jesse Forever, Bachelorette

Hey there, I'm back and, "I'll take a small steak, two eggs on top, some fries, juice and a side order of toast." I finally watched The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) after having it for nearly A MONTH from Netflix. I was glued to the screen and the film noir style, but I also found the movie to be very sad.  I can cross it off my Jack Nicholson list and as yet another top performance by him. I haven't seen Jessica Lange in anything other than Tootsie, so it was also enjoyable to watch one of her roles and chemistry with Nicholson on screen.

Once you see the film, the title does make sense. You want the characters, Nicholson's Frank and Lange's Cora, to win out in the end but their past and secrets are never far behind. This 1981 caper is a remake of a classic film and based on a novel. Whichever medium you choose. although I am obviously partial to anything and everything Nicholson, I definitely recommend the film or book.
Moving on, I actually saw two other movies on my list yesterday. It was a rainy day, so why not?
It was tough to choose which one to see but Celeste and Jesse Forever may not be in theaters, well, forever so there I went. I hope it has a long release because just about every 30-something man or woman should see this film.
Rashida Jones (Celeste) and Andy Samberg (Jesse) star as a divorcing couple in their 30s who decide to stay friends during and beyond their separation. I was a fan of Jones before (see Parks and Recreation, I Love You Man and Our Idiot Brother), and now knowing she co-wrote this film appreciate her work even more. At first I thought Samberg was an odd choice and pairing for Jones' character, but the two actors made their relationship and story very believable in this film.
That's perhaps because the story from Jones and Will McCormack (the film's other writer) came from someplace real. Jones and McCormack briefly dated in the 1990s and, while they were not married, tested the concept if ex-lovers can be friends for life.
The film starts at the beginning of Celeste and Jesse's divorce. She owns a home and a car and is focused on her career as a "trend forecaster." Jesse is living in the guest house/studio adjacent to Celeste's and doesn't have a job. The story portrays Jesse as still in love with Celeste, but there is definitely some co-dependence on both sides of their relationship. They both try to move on in their own ways but, several times, come back to each other before they can fully cut the cord of their marriage.
It's by no means a funny story, but I am happy the filmmakers chose to tell it with comedy as the backdrop.
Speaking of comedy, my second choice yesterday was Bachelorette, starring Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and Lizzy Caplan. It's like Bridesmaids but, pun intended, on crack. Chelsea Handler interviewed Isla Fisher on her show last week and said everyone in the movie is a "hot mess." That's about right.
The movie is not in theaters yet, but you can buy it on iTunes or On Demand. The trio of Regan (Dunst), Katie (Fisher), and Gena (Caplan) are in the wedding party of their high school friend Becky (Rebel Wilson).
With their reunion the night before the wedding, it is evident the foursome's friendship has not changed much since high school. They all have their own lives now but still harbor the angst from their teen years. Throw in an equal number of guys from their graduating class, a ruined wedding dress, drugs, alcohol and just the right combination of comedy and realism and, to me, Bachelorette is a must see.
I was happy to see some of the cast of the short-lived show Perfect Couples in the male half of the ensemble cast and Adam Scott and James Marsden alongside the ladies in the film.
Bachelorette caters more to a female audience than to men, but Celeste and Jesse Forever balances that out with a plot both sexes can relate to.
Viewing these two films in one day has maxed out my romantic comedy (although I don't know that's the best genre description here) quota for a while, but I am happy with my choices and recommend the indulgence.
To cap off the weekend Magic Mike is playing at the budget theater and some of my friends haven't seen it yet. I GUESS I'll have to go again.

Take This Waltz

I think in Take This Waltz writer and director Sarah Polley did somehow accomplish what she set out to do ... making a film about emptiness and familiarity vs. passion ... but it just missed the mark for me. I was actually a bit hesitant to watch this movie knowing the subject matter but I did want to give it a try because of the cast, including Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman. That didn't do it for me either.
Williams plays Margot and Seth Rogen is her husband, Lou. Silverman is Geraldine, who I think is on Lou's side of the family. Of all the characters Geraldine is the only one who provides a bit of honesty and realism about herself and the people around her and I did like Silverman's performance.
There is also Luke Kirby who as Daniel brings to light what the characters, mainly Margot, think they're lacking in life.
Daniel is introduced pretty early on in the film, but Polley also spends a good deal of time focusing on the relationship dynamic between Lou and Margot. That focus continues to build throughout the film, but I found the message about their relationship to be inconsistent. Overall, because of Margot's interest in Daniel, I thought it would be that she is clearly the only one unhappy in her marriage to Lou . Sometimes that's the case and she is the bad guy of the two, other times it's Lou and then at times they both seem in love and happy -- but definitely in their own way. Their inside jokes and habits around the house are charming, but I did have a hard time believing it all.
That is actually the main problem I had with this film. If you're going to tell a story that clearly comes from some level of realism and experience, I find that it has to be believable and as a viewer I want to relate to it on some level.
Yes, it's a movie and not actually real, but since Take This Waltz was very stripped down in the way of focusing so heavily on characters' emotions I thought I would be drawn it a bit more and be able to understand where they're coming from. I am normally a fan of Williams and Rogen, but I think in the end they were not right for these roles. It seemed like they were trying too hard, even though Williams mastered the role of a somewhat similar character in Blue Valentine. (See that one, for sure).
Acting aside, I think another important flaw here is the buried message of the film. The contrast between familiarity and passion can be seen in Margot and Lou, but I don't like how Polley avoids having them outwardly acknowledging their problems. I think it's clear to Lou that Margot is interested in Daniel, but he doesn't acknowledge that either. Are they too familiar with each other to care? What does Margot want? Lou, Daniel, or to be alone? The film presents all those questions, but no clear answer.
Of course those answers would be subjective for each viewer, but Polley did not create enough connection with the characters in the film for me to get there.
I enjoyed the cinematography, music and style of the film as well as the overall idea of what the story could be, but all the chapters just did not come together.

Jeff Who Lives At Home

"Everyone and everything is interconnected in this universe.
Stay pure of heart and you will see the signs.
Follow the signs, and you will uncover your destiny."
- Jeff

Who can develop a simple story about the meaning of life in just under an hour-and-a-half? The Duplass brothers, that's who. Maybe you haven't ended up on a soul-searching mission after going out shopping for wood glue, but I think there is an emotion and experience anyone can relate to in Jeff Who Lives at Home.
Jason Segel is Jeff, who lives in his mother's basement and has the responsibility on her birthday to fix a wood shutter on the kitchen cabinet. The project is the start of a long and complicated journey for Jeff to discover his calling in life, but it all comes full circle in the end.
The story itself isn't funny, but the Duplass brothers use humor to tell it and provide a silver lining to the plight of their characters.
It's also interesting how they connect the main characters in the movie, who are all family, through the problems they're experiencing in one day.
The mother Sharon (Susan Sarandon) is at work worrying about Jeff and wishing she was anywhere but there when a secret admirer starts sending her instant messages. Pat, her other son played by Ed Helms, is in a marriage rut he thought would be solved by buying a Porsche.
Pat and Jeff eventually connect during their individual quests that day and I think their closeness as brothers is renewed. For Pat a test to his marriage, not just the Porsche, is a wake up call as is realizing his brother is not just a loser who sits on the couch all day getting high.
All the characters have to search to find their destiny, it just turns out to be closer than they thought.
On the surface it may seem like Jeff Who Lives at Home is a film that follows the overused premise of connecting characters on different paths in their lives through some common bond or event. I've seen it anywhere from blockbusters to independent films and maybe there is a small part of that in Jeff Who Lives at Home.
But, the Duplass brothers are always reinventing the wheel and any film they do is a just the right mix of reality and imagination. That's hard to find in Hollywood.

The Dark Knight Rises

The amount of information about The Dark Knight Rises on the Internet right now is, well, overwhelming. The shootings in Colorado have certainly, and understandably, drawn a lot of media attention and created a tragic cloud over something that is supposed to be a joy in life.
I won't get much into it, but what happened saddens and scares me. It seems in the world we live in now, the shootings could have happened anywhere and as David Carr so poignantly writes we'll always be wondering why.

That said ... I do want to talk about The Dark Knight Rises in all its heroic glory. I am going to have to write around certain plot points, which is going to be very difficult given the surprise role Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays in the film and well, you know, because I adore him so much.
First things first, to summarize Christopher Nolan's trilogy conclusion overall, it does provide closure in all the right places and yet could stand on its own if someone who has not seen Batman Begins and The Dark Knight decided to jump on board now.
But for true fans hooked since the beginning, the film does pick up about where The Dark Knight ends. I had just watched that one before going to the theater Sunday, actually, and finished a refresher on Batman Begins recently as well. 
Compared to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, the special effects, stunts and fight scenes are bigger, better, and more catastrophic for Gotham City in Rises.
Acting-wise I think Michael Caine's performance topped them all for his character, Alfred, who was also very pivotal in the plot this time around. (Softies, like me, may shed a tear or two in some of his scenes).
Unlike the heroes, villains are hard to rank in the Batman trilogy. While Tom Hardy as Bane may have nothing on Heath Ledger's the Joker, he was terrifying, even just by the look in his eyes.
Christian Bale continued to master the fallen hero with anger issues/fearless crusader with his mind set on saving Gotham City. And that voice, I am starting to wonder if it's computerized.
And now, ladies and gentleman, the award for standout performance goes too ... JGL!!!! Sure, Gary Oldman reprises his role as the top cop in Gotham City very well, but there always has to be a rookie looking to rise out of the shadows.
Nolan draws some comparisons between Batman and Blake (Gordon-Levitt's cop character), especially with how they translate anger they've developed from their past into the will to help others.
Gotham City does need its heroes.
With all the anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises, I am sad its over. I do believe Christopher Nolan has walked away from his franchise, even though there is always the small glimmer of hope he would continue it forever. He's just that good.
Since his brother Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer have been along for the Batmobile ride (and attached to many other of his projects) there is always the possibility they would be next in line to continue the comic book saga. 
I'll be honest, here's where it gets tricky. I clearly can't say what happened at the end of the film, but it is not at all what I expected.
One article I read, I can't find the link anymore but I think it was on HitFix, posed the question of "What does "The Dark Knight Rises" mean?

Is it related to Batman's return to Gotham City in the aftermath of Harvey Dent's death to face his inner struggles and fight Bane or a sign of what's to come when his dust settles?
The answer is subjective. Nolan really leaves it up to the viewer to interpret his ending and what's to come from it. Based on what I saw I want more, but if it has to end when the cute little boy sings the National Anthem, then it has to end.

Magic Mike

Well, if I could ONLY say two words about Magic Mike they would be ... yamma hamma!
It's not actually possible for me to do that, so here are my full thoughts on the movie and one of my new favorite actors.
I don't like to read reviews before I see movies, so I only knew going into Magic Mike that it is about the male stripper lifestyle and Steven Soderbergh directed it.
For both those reasons, and oh yeah Channing Tatum, I was intrigued.
Tatum is the face to Magic Mike and as silly as that name is, he pulled off the character quite well.
The story, apparently based on Tatum's own brief foray into stripping while living in Florida, is simple.
Mike was spotted on the street by the Xquisite strip club owner Dallas (Matthew McConaughey) and six years later was the main act that made women line up around the corner of the building for a show.
Mike saw it as a money-making venture to support his true dream of opening his own furniture company and embraced his job while trying not to get too involved in the drama.
I know the trailer makes Magic Mike look extremely cheesy and superficial, but it's not. If that's what it takes to get people to the theater then so be it; but between Soderbergh's smart directing skills and his golden boy Tatum's acting props, the project is a success. On top of some of the obvious visual entertainment in Magic Mike, there is actually some strong cinematography to note in the film as well.
I think the main flaw of the movie is Cody Horn cast as Mike's maybe-maybe not girlfriend Brooke. Horn, unfortunately, did not pull of the same acting profile as her co-stars. Olivia Munn, whose character Mike has a fling with now and then and maybe did really want to be with, should have been cast in Brooke's role. 
I also didn't care much for McConaughey, while he did a solid performance, I am just not a fan.
He fit the part and if the man is willing to wear a belly shirt and do a scene teaching a young stripper hopeful how to dance, then more power to him.
The young stripper hopeful is Adam (Alex Pettyfer) whose character I think really makes Mike decide if he wants to continue to pursue his dream by making easy money or if he just wants to take the chance and do it.
I'll leave that for you to find out when, not if, you see this movie.
The best thing overall about Magic Mike is that Soderbergh and Tatum made good on actually developing a believable story and out of something that could have been totally trivial.
My expectations for the film were not that low, again because of the names attached to it, but I think most viewers will get more than they bargained for if they can look beyond the oodles of scenes with hot men doing their thang on stage.
I have no complaints about that, believe me, but I do feel better knowing I saw a good movie as well.
And, there might be a sequel.
In the meantime I am glad Tatum is working with Soderbergh again after Magic Mike. He was a fresh face in Haywire and now is attached to The Bitter Pill alongside Rooney Mara and Jude Law.
If that's not enough, he's got movies coming out with Dustin Hoffman, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Carell and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
I say that man Magic Mike, he's going places.