Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

3/5

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is just about as quirky indie as you can get. It stars Michael Cera as awkward Nick, the only straight guy in the gay punk band The Jerkoffs, and Kat Dennings as rich girl Norah, the daughter of famed music producer Ira Silverberg. Nick recently broke up with his girlfriend of 6 months Tris (who has also been cheating on him for 6 months) and is taking it pretty hard. He makes her mix tapes, which she just throws away, only to be picked up and adored by Norah. They meet at one of his band's concerts and Norah asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend for five minutes. And so begins the night. And just like every teen romantic comedy, they fall in love, fall out of love, and both eventually redeem themselves and partner up again.

Aside from the eclectic, interesting music, nothing really stood out in terms of technical skills. The editing and cinematography were only okay. The plot progression was predictable, the dialogue was filled with the requisite awkward humor Cera often--or always--produces, and the characters were written with just enough oddball characteristics to make you think they might be real. It's the typical indie movie you expect to see based on the trailer, and nothing about Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist really makes it stand out from that genre. Still, it's an entertaining film without much distinctly wrong with it, so go check it out if you think you're gonna like it. You probably will.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981227/

Disturbia (2007)

4/5

DJ Caruso's Disturbia was an exceedingly well-made suspense thriller about a teenager who suspects his neighbor is a serial killer. A remake/modernization of Hitchcock's Rear Window, it must inevitably be compared to its source material. And I'm glad to say that it stands its ground surprisingly well. The basic framework of the movie stays pretty similar, except we are in the suburbs instead of an apartment complex, we have teenagers instead of adults, and our main character is kept immobile through house arrest, not a broken leg. Also, they add a little bit of romance in this version (he's already engaged in the original), which I could've done without, and a lot more tension and excitement, which was a wise choice for its target audience. The last thirty minutes or so were absolutely terrifying (although the logic behind it is a bit shaky). As far as all these differences go, most of them worked really really well.

Much was also kept the same. I'm glad that they had multiple neighbors and multiple side stories. While not as charming as in the original, they were still engaging and entertaining. One thing that made the original so good was the use of first person shots. They continued that technique here, albeit in a more muted fashion. They move exactly as we would move, and show exactly what we want to see. This natural movement helped us get involved in the storytelling. Technically, it was better than a lot of movies, but not exceptional. The acting was on point, the characters believable, and the dynamics between them fleshed out and full. The pacing seemed to be effortless perfection. The cinematography and editing worked well together. The music was sometimes out of place or overbearing, but on the whole it kept the mood nicely. I highly recommend this movie, to those who have seen Rear Window and those who haven't, and to those who just want a truly suspenseful and thrilling movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486822/