It’s not very often that a film can boast both a well-written script and dynamic acting. In the rare instance that this combination does occur, it is almost impossible to leave the theater unmoved. In director Elizabeth Chomko’s directorial and screenwriting debut, tragedy and comedy collide to create one of the most realistic family dramas in recent years.
Actor Paul Dano is known for his honest portrayals of young men desperately trying to find themselves. Whether it’s a military bound son whose life path is disrupted when he discovers he’s colorblind in Little Miss Sunshine or musical savant Bryan Wilson trying to juggle fame, mental illness, and an abusive childhood, Dano has mastered playing the archetype of a young man coming of age. In Wildlife, his first film in the director’s chair, Dano’s uses his mastery of the coming of age genre to breathe life into an otherwise derivative plot.
As Bill Murray graced the Strathmore stage in North Bethesda last Friday night, the audience didn’t quite know what to expect. Were they going to see a comedy show? Some classic Bill Murray shenanigans? Some classical music perhaps? As Bill Murray opened his mouth and started to recite Hemingway, immediately followed by Jan Vogler playing “Prelude” from Bach’s Cello Suite No.1, the audience was in for something different yet wonderfully familiar.
The House with a Clock in its Walls tries to be many things. Part nostalgic Amblin film, part horror adventure film, part kids’ movie, The House with a Clock in its Walls has so many tones that they often conflict with one another. However, lead performances and zappy one liners make the film bearable to watch.
Most people grow up watching puppets reciting the ABCs or counting to ten. The Happytime Murders takes the audience’s childhood expectations and completely obliterates them. Full of violence and extremely graphic sex scenes, The Happytime Murders subverts all expectations associated with a puppet movie and tries to find an adult lesson in a very adult film.
