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current review The Last Kiss
The
Last Kiss focuses on the anxieties faced by guys nearing their 30s face
as they transition into adulthood. The
film was written by Oscar-winner Paul Haggis, the mind behind last year’s
manipulative Crash. The
Last Kiss succeeds here where Haggis's Crash
failed. Crash used broad strokes to create unreal situations that forced
racial tension in order to make a point.
Thusly, the entire film did not ring true.
Everything is on a smaller scale in The
Last Kiss and feels more genuine. It
also doesn't hurt, though, that the film is less stylized.
The actors all give realistic performances, highlighted by the main
couple played by Zach Braff and Jacinda Barrett. Braff
continues his string of strong performances as Michael, bringing to life his
reservations and fears about his future.
There comes that point in some men's lives where they feel there is
no turning back. Michael, faced
with Jenna's pregnancy and desire to get married, has reached that point.
It also doesn't hurt that a beautiful young woman enters the picture
at just the right time. The
temptation is there and he battles with whether he should take it. The
other friends represent the varying stages of adulthood for people in their
late 20s. The guy who refuses to
grow up, trying to maintain his college lifestyle.
The guy pining for the failed relationship of the only girlfriend
he's ever known. The couple
faced with growing responsibility and the growing realization that they are
not compatible. And the older
couple facing the difficulty of sustaining a marriage. There
are some impressive scenes here involving Jenna and Michael during a
difficult period, and it’s a testament to both actors that they pull it
off so well. There’s really no
one to really root for here because everyone’s faults are elucidated very
effectively. But who doesn’t
have faults? And is it better to
forgive, forget, or just move on? A lot of the points emphasized in The Last Kiss are not new to moviegoers: the fact that we hurt the ones we love; or that temptation in the guise of a beautiful young brunette is easy to succumb to. It’s the realistic way The Last Kiss handles these issues that enables it to stand out from the rest as an excellent film about relationships and growing older. |
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Sideways
After a second viewing of my second-favorite movie from 2004, I am more convinced than ever of its greatness. Though billed as a comedy, Sideways possesses more emotion and human drama than pure laughs (although, there are a lot of those, too). Miles is a failed novelist who recently went through a divorce, who has lost all his self-esteem. He's looking back on a life unfulfilled and hates himself for it. He's taking his friend Jack on a week-long trip in wine country before Jack's wedding. They meet Maya and Stephanie and the trip becomes so much more than just one last fling for Jack (see my synopsis on my Top 10 List for a better description). The DVD has some interesting deleted scenes accompanied by director's notes from Alexander Payne explaining why certain scenes didn't make it. But the highlight is the commentary by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church. Aside from providing the occasional glimpse into the making of the film, their back-and-forth dialogue as they watch themselves is hilarious. It is definitely worth watching. |
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