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Cliche Boy
Reviews
Crazy Love (2004)
Wow
Really, really great. Most short films either make no sense or feel like a warm-up to a feature film. This is a wonderful stand-alone short that tells a great story in just a few minutes. I completely agree with the message board post that said this could and should play all the festivals and can't believe it was made in just a weekend. It's a very funny, sharp piece with a surprisingly sweet turn. That's all I have to say but you have to write 10 lines for this to register. So I'll just reiterate this film is very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very good.
Garden State (2004)
"This is love"
Beautifully written, perfectly performed. There are moments of humor so unexpected--and sometimes inappropriate--you're not sure you should laugh. The scene where Large recounts the simple kindness of a mother and realized "this is love" is particuarly sweet. Kudos to Zach Braff for virtually erasing all traces of his SCRUBS character and not relying on mugging or easy laughs. And for writing an intelligent, thoughtful script that sums up so many feelings and emotions that can't be put into words. Peter Sarsgaard is also impressive as the shifty friend who may not treat others well, but treats himself much worse. It's also nice to see Natalie Portman playing her age, rather than a woman wise beyond her years, for once. Great work all around.
A Walk to Remember (2002)
Everything I'd heard was true...
Yes, it's predictable. Yes, it's unoriginal. Yes, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. You know what? It still gets me every time. Mandy Moore is surprisingly charming and there are some sweet lines sprinkled in among the goofiness. A total guilty pleasure that makes me cry every time.
Speechless... (2001)
Afterschool Special
Girl tutors boy who won't speak. For some reason, she's attracted to him. This is never really fleshed out--the boy is not the least bit charismatic or interesting. The dialogue can be painfully expository. (There's a scene where the mother tells the boy he needs to be tutored so he can get a job at his uncle's place when they leave town that sounds like it should be stage direction, not dialogue.) Not terrible, but not worth the effort.
Auditions (2003)
Funny Stuff
I've enjoyed Jenelle Riley's plays so I thought I'd check this short out. The material is pretty much like her Duct Tape and Dreams play, where a bunch of actors try out with awful material. Or good material that they mangle. That might sound predictable but it's done single camera, quick cuts, and very funny. This should be shown before every pretentious independent movie at every film festival.