Monday, June 22, 2015

A film that talks about how films shape your life is one of the most appealing things I ever seen in recent years. Alfonso Gomex-Rejon, director of “Me , Earl and The Dying Girl” tells the story of Greg an awkward kid who place safe with everyone at school, by associate to the multiple cliques around them, an attitude that will teach him that life is not about protecting himself of the drama and emotional roller coaster of a normal teenager.

His escapism is movies, an early discover with his father (Nick Offerman) who loves art films like Werner Herzog, but also was a time when he met Earl ,(Ronald Cyler II) an African American kid who lives nearby in a rough neighborhood. Greg and Earl become associated and friends making wonderful but also awful versions of classical films. A sudden news come to Greg’s parent’s, a school friend Rachel Kushner ( Olivia Cooke) is diagnosed with Leukemia so Mr and Mrs Gaines (Greg’s parents) ask him to develop a friendship with Rachel in order to give her moral support and also company.

The film will develop in a interesting story of love, friendship and movies.

Me, Earl and The Dying Girl is an ingenious film with a lof of film references and influences, from director Michell Gondry “Be Kind Rewind” to visual techniques like François Truffaut and Stanley Kucbrick.

The story is powerful with great performances, Alfonso Gomex-Rejon developed a great tools of storytelling techniques.

Los Angeles is always a great scenarios for personal stories of struggle and success, specially when the subject is an African American raised in rough neighborhoods. From John Singleton’s “Boyz in the Hood”, John N. Smith “Dangerous Mind” and Paul Haggis “Crash” these films explore African American trying to make it, but with a very shocking consequences.

In the film “Dope” director Famuyiwa presents a very simple story with very complex consequences. Malcolm Adekanbi (Shamik Moore) is a high school senior who lives with his mother. Malcom’s dad left to Africa when he was a little kid. Malcolm’s love 90’s hip hop, from wearing the traditional clothing to hear the music and also been devoted to that cultural trend. His biggest dream is to go to Harvard, but as an African American his advisory is not to happy about it, he also demoralized Malcom to desist the idea.

Malcolm have two friends, Jib and Diggy,( Tony Revolori and Kersey Clemons) both are geek like him and they spent time in their bicycles going around the rough neighborhood of Inwood in Los Angeles. In a strange chain of events in a party Malcolm end up with his back pack fill with molly and a gun and that’s when the real adventure of Dope start.

The film to me is like putting the essence of Pulp Fiction in a high school in Los Angeles. The story takes you from many intricate corners of Malcom’s and the gang trying to get rid of the drug and doing things right. The film is funny, shocking but also have a good heart, because presents a great social statement about stereotypes of African American who wants to have the sames chances like everyone else.

Dope have the perfect soundtrack for the summer, curated by Pharrell. The film is produced by Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

The brain is one of the most complex organs from human beings. It have the ability to manage, memories, emotions, but also is capable to control the body and the proper functioning.

When we born, the brain is already working and developing. But when we are out of the whom, the brain is trying to keep up with the activity that surround us.

That's basically when the story of "Inside Out" start. A little girl was born, Riley Anderson but also the first emotion of this girl shows up Joy (Amy Poehler) who is responsible of taking care of the most happy and joyful feeling of Riley. Then the next one of the gang appears. Sadness (Phyllis Smith) Fear (Bill Hader) Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kailing).
Throughout the years of Riley childhood everything seems to run smoothly, until Riley's parents decide to move to San Francisco for a business opportunity. This is the moment when the world is crumbly around for the emotions and of course to Riley.

Inside Out is a film by Pete Docter. No strange from the genre of animation. He have written the story of films like Up, WALL-E and Toy Story 1 and 2 and the subjects that he covered are related to human connection, life and of course emotions. Probably in "Inside Out" Docter combined all this different elements from past film and merged into a very original and self explanatory story about a kids brain, how thoughts, emotions and the intricate aspects the human brain works. During a Q&A at the Museum of Moving images, he confessed that he create the story with the help of neurologist and physiologist, but also with his own personal experiences as a father.

This is a movie from a point of view from a kid, but told by adults. "Inside Out" is very original and groundbreaking film when it comes to storytelling, character development and fine performance by all the actors on this movie.

I highly recommend this movie, is funny, original and most of all compelling. In fact it brought me tears at the end.