Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Jason previews Cinequest: How To Be...

Okay, this is either a perfect example of why watching movies on screener DVDs is nowhere near as good as in the theater, or it's a perfect example of why British movies don't work well here in America. I didn't enjoy it, I didn't get the humor, and I couldn't understand a lot of the dialogue. But that might just change if I saw it on the big screen, with a clearer print, better sound, and an enthusiastic audience (probably the most important element).

Anyway, How To Be... stars Robert Pattinson, the star of Twilight (which I haven't seen because I'm not a 13 year old girl). He plays Art, a mumbly "enigmatic poet" who is a really just a whiny brat and a lousy singer. His girlfriend left him and he's depressed all the time (check that, his girlfriend left him because he's depressed all the time). His friends are no help, but he does find a book that helps--It's Not Your Fault. The book impresses him so much that he contacts the author and convinces him to live with him (in his parents' house) and be his "life coach". It doesn't work, because the author's just as messed up. I suppose it's supposed to be awkward, dysfunctional comedy. There are isolated scenes that worked for me (like when he climbs into his parent's bed). But for the most part the mix of British accents and depressed mumbling makes it impossible to understand. And even if I did understand the humor is probably too dry for my American sensibilities.

3 comments:

Dadmaniac said...

This is Jason's daddy here...And I have to wholeheartedly agree with Jason's take on this movie. It was a couple of hours that I'll never get back and I would have much more wanted to spend them snorkeling here in Hawaii.

puppymeat said...

To be fair, we watched it at night and the snorkeling in the dark isn't that great. Snorkeling during the day was awesome, though.

Yeah, it's the one screener so far that did not impress me. Still, 5 of 6 were very enjoyable, and that's a pretty high hit rate.

Dadmaniac said...

Not exactly true Jason. There are night dive and snorkeling tours (most notably on the Big Island). They set up lights on the surface and on the seabed about 30 feet down. The lights draw plankton and the plankton draws manta rays. We may try that in a few weeks.