Synecdoche, New York (2008)

2/5

Synecdoche, New York follows Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theatre director who receives a "genius" scholarship that allows him the freedom to realize his lifelong theatrical vision without any financial distractions. He decides to makes a play with a universal message; he wants it to be about everything and everyone. He replicates New York City in a gigantic warehouse with millions of extras. Eventually, he starts casting actors to play the people in his own life, including himself, as he watches them. And it just gets weirder and weirder from there. Helming this bizarre, surreal pic is Charlie Kaufman himself, the brilliant writer behind Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Adaptation. I don't know what goes on in Kaufman's head, but I want nothing more to do with it unless a skilled director is tempering it to something comprehensible. Because this whole production was just a confusing mess.

The movie's one saving grace was its humor. It was ubiquitous and off the charts. Even when I was frustrated and annoyed by the film's seeming impenetrable complexity and nebulous thematics, Kaufman's writing could still make me laugh. And that's really the ony positive thing I have to say about this movie. I do not ever want to see another movie that Charlie Kaufman both writes and directs. Ever.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383028/

Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

2/5

Sweet and Lowdown may have been funny, but it was not an enjoyable experience. My laughter hid my inner frustrations with the movie. The story had no arc; it was merely random event after random event with nothing to link them. There was absolutely no characterization; everyone had one character trait or tic, except for Sean Penn's Emmet Ray, who had three traits. That does not make them a character. The movie was vastly uncreative, something immensely disappointing given Allen's previous films of such exceptional creativity and quality. The abundance of music was overbearing and added very little to the overall piece, unless the intent of the piece was to annoy me. Some parts were good: it was funny and the acting was good. The cinematography and camera movement were good as well. But that does not make this a good movie. It is still a bad movie. I am disappointed in Woody Allen.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0158371/

Mister Lonely (2007)

3/5

Mister Lonely is hands-down the weirdest movie I have seen at Cannes so far. It follows the life of a Michael Jackson impersonator who meets a Marilyn Monroe and joins her at a look-alike commune. Paralleled to this is the story of a father with nuns who can fly. There are some of the most bizarre images in this movie ever. It is a movie I would hate, but the humor lifts this movie from a 1 to a 2, and the soundtrack from a 2 to a 3. This movie also has hands-down the best soundtrack of any movie I've seen at Cannes so far. It makes the movie what it is; it would be nothing without the music. There are really really funny parts, mostly from the realistic portrayal of the offbeat characters and their offbeat actions. The cinematography is amazing as well, and so is the editing. And it was never boring.

I found the acting awful, and you only realize what the movie is about through the blunt, direct voice-over. There is no real point to the events that occur. I had no idea what was going on the entire time, or rather why what was happening was happening. I have yet to find a link between the two intercut stories. I don't know how I feel recommending this movie because it is exceptionally well-done, but I have no idea what it was trying to get across. Maybe you will have some luck, and if this sounds interesting to you, then check it out.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0475984/