Moving Alan (2003)

Directed by: Christopher Shelton

Starring: Marley Shelton, Samantha Shelton, Misha Collins, Mark Pellegrino and Leslie Jordan

Genre: Independent, Comedy, Dark Comedy

Rated: Unrated

Emily Manning arrives at her estranged sister, Melissa’s home after an emergency phone call. Melissa’s husband is dead and she believes she’ll be blamed for killing him. Emily agrees to help Melissa hide the body, and the two embark on a journey of rediscovering their lost relationship and finding themselves.

This is definitely a strange film. I have watched it twice now, and I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it. I wanted to like the sisters, but I just couldn’t. Melissa is both incredibly selfish and helpless, and I can understand why Emily becomes so irritated with her. At the same time, Emily has been holding a grudge against Melissa for three years, and that is the reason the two haven’t spoken for so long. What is the grudge about? Melissa moving in on Alan when he was spending time with Emily and marrying him. The fact that Alan was abusive to Melissa, leaving her with a black eye and bruises up and down her back, doesn’t seem to ease this grudge Emily carries; not until Melissa’s neighbor tells her to let it go – and even then, she doesn’t let it go entirely. I was sitting there grumbling at the screen, “You were never even DATING Alan! Melissa’s moving in on him may have been a bitchy thing to do, but it’s not like you two were in a relationship! Get over it!”

It is obvious that Melissa doesn’t like the competition of her little sister when it comes to men. When the two women encounter Tony wandering in the desert, she becomes jealous when he clearly has eyes for Emily over her. Of course, this is after he gives himself a sexy makeover beside their broken down car, when both women see how attractive he actually is under the dreads and scraggly facial hair. 

Quite the Transformation, eh?

I'd say so...

Then Emily is willing to run off into the hills with him, despite the fact that he’s spouting soap opera lines like a lunatic. 

Although, to be fair, I’d let Misha Collins lead me off into the desert hills as well, no matter how crazy he was acting, so I really can’t judge her on that.

Especially if the results would be anything like this!

...Or This....

Along their journey, Melissa learns to toughen up while Emily learns to lighten up a little, but both of them are still overshadowed by Tony and Alan, whom we mostly see in flashbacks or as a dead body until the end of the film. Collins is absolutely hilarious as the crazy, drug addicted hobo living in the desert, who refuses to stay away from Emily, as he believes her to be his love interest in the soap opera he seems to be perpetually living in. How Pellegrino can captivate as a dead, naked man is unclear, but he does, and he is both sexy and creepy in the flashbacks, as well as a little pitiful in places. The Shelton sisters give okay performances, but if it weren’t for Collins and Pellegrino, the film wouldn’t be much worth watching.

The film is definitely funny, in a twisted way, and you can feel the frustration the sisters are feeling as they are trying to find a place to dump Alan’s body and keep being thwarted. The sisters have their comedic moments, especially Melissa with her slightly ditzy, almost childlike demeanor, but, as mentioned above, the real comic relief is Tony, as he is trapped inside his own head, probably high, and convinced he’s filming a soap opera. The people around him don’t know how to handle his crazy and their reactions to him are half the fun. When he snaps back to reality toward the end of the film, it is almost a little sad to see crazy Tony go, but sexy normal Tony is a welcome replacement.

Overall, this is a strange flick, and it took me a couple viewings to gather my feelings on it. The sisters the story centers around annoy me quite a bit, but the characters of Tony, Alan, and Arthur – Melissa’s neighbor- make up for the irritating squabbling between siblings. The Shelton sisters give okay performances, but Misha Collins steals the show, with Mark Pellegrino close behind. Honestly, without these two, the film would have been far less enjoyable.

5.5/10

For those who are interested, one of the few places you can find the entire film in English is here.

Fat Kid Rules the World (2012)

Directed by: Matthew Lillard

Starring: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O’Leary, Lili Simmons, Dylan Arnold, and Billy Campbell

Rated: R

Genre: Independent, Drama, Comedy, Coming-of-Age

Based on the Novel by K.L. Going

Troy is a depressed, overweight teenager, with no friends and no passion outside of video games. Marcus is a free-spirited punk-rock musician with no home and a drug problem. Their paths happen to cross one day when, feeling like he can’t take it anymore, Troy steps out in front of an oncoming bus. Marcus tackles him to the ground, saving his life, and beginning an unlikely friendship. The two bond over the idea of creating a band together, and each helps the other in a way he never expects.

This is the directorial debut of Matthew Lillard, and I am quite impressed with this effort. His passion for the film is visible all over his Twitter account, but it is also obvious in the film itself. It truly feels like he cares for these characters, and thus the viewer does as well.

The characters are well-fleshed out. None fit into a cliché mold. At first Troy seems like the typical nerdy, overweight outcast who wants to get a girlfriend and enjoys video games. As the film progresses, he becomes more likable as he airs his issues with his weight and father. He develops a passion for music and a backbone, and he proves what a big heart he truly has. Marcus is a homeless, drug-addled sleazebag who has never known true friendship until he meets Troy. Despite their differences, these boys save each other from themselves. I also really liked how Troy’s father, Mr. Billings (Campbell), was portrayed as a real person and not just a stick-in-the-mud Marine – which is how many teen films would have played it. He is never really the enemy; he just wants his son to be happy, healthy and successful. He may be strict, but he cares very much for his sons and for Marcus.

I found Troy and Marcus to be believable, people I could meet in everyday life. I’ve known guys like both of them, and feel that Wysocki and O’Leary really brought them to life. Campbell was strong as the former-Marine-turned-cop father figure, portraying strict-yet-caring very well. Lili Simmons was cute as Isabel, and Dylan Arnold was annoying, yet believable, as Troy’s younger brother.

What I really liked about this film is that the kids acted like real kids and the adults were also realistic. The boys talked a lot about music and finding gigs, but they also bond over conflicts with parents and being different in general. As aforementioned, Mr. Billings may be a hardass, but he also has a big heart, and he cares about the well-being of all three boys. He gave up the Marine Corps for Troy’s mother, even though he enjoyed it. There is a scene where he is showing Marcus a box of family photos, and he looks longingly at a picture of his late-wife. He’s trying the best he can, and it’s obvious he still struggles without her around.

I thought Marcus’s drug addiction was handled very well too. As someone who has grown up around addiction – especially one to opiates, I found the portrayal accurate. His shaky hands, his lack of personal hygiene, his willingness to use anyone and everyone he can to get his next high. It doesn’t surprise me that his mother gave up on him – that happens sometimes, because the parent needs to distance him/herself from the pain of losing a loved one down such a dark path. Still, the kid is only eighteen, you would think they would have tried a little harder to get him help. My loved one has been in and out of recovery for nearly twelve years, it’s a never-ending battle. I do wish that could have been addressed by the film, but you can only fit so much into an hour and a half, and the important thing is that it left off sending Marcus in a positive direction.

The ending was a little farfetched, but enjoyable. I did feel like it ended abruptly, without us getting to see Troy do what he’s worked so hard for. He begins to play the drums and the credits roll. I wanted to see him rock out and show what he’s really made of. That was the one major drawback to the film; I wanted him to flaunt what he’s accomplished.

Overall, it’s a good little flick. The characters are realistic and well-rounded. The music is cool, and the dramatic elements are handled well. Recommended.

7/10

Spooner (2009)

Directed by: Drake Doremus

Starring: Matthew Lillard, Nora Zehetner, Shea Whigham, Kate Burton, and Christopher McDonald

Genre: Independent, Romantic Comedy, Comedy

Rated: R

Socially awkward Herman Spooner (Lillard) is facing eviction from his parents’ house on his 30^th birthday. The closer he gets to the big day, the more he tries to stall. With a job he’s not very good at and no friends to speak of, his parents’ home is a comfort to him. Then he meets Rose (Zehetner), a pretty, goofy girl willing to go after what she wants, and he realizes he has to do the same if he wants to keep her.

This is a cute little indie romance. Both of the lead characters are quirky, though Spooner definitely is moreso than Rose. She’s carefree and willing to follow her dreams, wherever they may lead her. He has a rough time communicating with anyone and is something of a joke to his colleagues. Yet she finds his social awkwardness charming, and the audience can’t help but feel the same.

What makes this film work is the chemistry between Lillard and Zehetner. They seem to really be enjoying each other’s company, and are almost kids again when they’re together. Burton and McDonald (who also played Lillard’s father in SLC Punk!) really feel like loving but fed up parents. They want to maintain a strong relationship with their son, but feel that it really is time for him to leave the nest and get on with his life. The only unlikable characters are the knuckleheads that Spooner works with – because they are meant to be obnoxious jerks, especially his boss (Whigham).

It was nice to see Lillard play the lead in a romance for once. Back in the ‘90s, he was always a secondary character to hunks like Freddie Prinze Jr., despite the fact that he is far more talented. It was great to see him have his turn to shine, and his performance made you root for his character despite the stupid things he does. Like his parents, the audience wants to see Spooner land on his own two feet and make it on his own.

The film doesn’t follow the traditional romantic comedy formula either, which I really liked. Neither character sacrifices something they want to be with the other one, both just live their lives and hope to make it work. It’s not a typical romance, but these aren’t typical characters, and I feel their relationship is grounded more in reality than those in many other films.

Overall, this is a cute indie romantic comedy that slightly breaks tradition, with quirky likable characters and a simple plot. The performances and chemistry between the actors make this film a fun, feel-good flick.

6.5/10

Cherry (2010)

Directed by: Jeff Fine

Starring: Kyle Gallner, Laura Allen, Britt Robertson, Esai Morales and Matt Walsh

Genre: Independent, Comedy, Drama

Rated: R

This coming-of-age story follows seventeen-year-old Aaron Milton (Gallner) as he enters his freshman year at an Ivy League university. He’s a highly intelligent guy, entering the engineering program on a scholarship. However, he also has a passion for art, and attends a drawing class against the wishes of his advisor and his mother. In this class he meets an older woman named Linda (Allen), whose free spirit and direct manner charm him. He soon develops a crush on Linda, but things get complicated when he goes to her house for dinner and meets her fourteen-year-old daughter, Beth, who develops a crush on him. Through this awkward triangle, Aaron learns more about himself and grows into a more confident, secure person.

When I first saw previews for this film, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I was afraid it was going to turn out to be just another overly sexualized college flick about a guy losing his virginity, but those fears were put to rest upon viewing. Despite the name of the film, sex is not the main focus of the storyline. Aaron isn’t just a virgin in the sexual sense; he’s a virgin to the real world – having been raised by an overly protective-to-the-point-of-controlling mother. He’s unaware of the problems people face, because he’s never had to face them. He embarks on quite the adventure with Linda and Beth, and learns a lot about the world and those he cares about on the way to finding himself.

I really liked this film. The acting was very well-done, especially from Gallner, Allen, and Robertson. Gallner is a young actor that I have been following readily for some time. He’s a very talented and versatile actor, and I haven’t disliked a single performance yet. His portrayal of the somewhat naïve, nerdy leading man was both believable and charming. Allen is fun as the free-spirited older woman but she is also able to realistically portray the complexities of addiction that afflict her. Robertson furthers this with her convincing performance as the daughter of an addict. I only wish that the relationship between mother and daughter got a little more screen time, and the audience could actually see what went on between the two of them rather than just hear it described by Beth. 

The writing feels natural. While the story isn’t entirely original, it is loosely based on the director’s life, and the writing makes you forget that similar stories have been told before. The three main characters all have full character arcs and each one has something to learn – no character in this film is flawless, but every character is redeemable.

For me, everything seemed to work for this film. The indie music really seemed to fit the characters and the storyline. The technical aspects were great – the music never overpowered the dialogue, scenes were always well-lit, etc. This is just one example of professional quality independent film.

7/10