1973 - Drinking Buddies

This film is an absolute exercise in restraint.  It's like a modern date update on the question posed on "When Harry Met Sally".  Well, not exactly.  Drinking Buddies is the story of two work friends who you spend the whole time wondering when they're going to wonder if they should be more.  The chemistry between Wilde and Johnson is palpable.  Add Livingston and Kendrik into the mix and you've got a pretty goddamn good cast there - in fact, it makes an indie filmmaker jealous.
Swanberg makes his films from an outline, and that's not a surprise here with the aesthetic, but it never takes away from the film itself.  Everyone is so natural and honest, which I'm sure was the intent.  This film messes with you in a good way - you think it's going one way then it dekes left.  It's emotionally honest and awkward and universal.  We've all had that friend we met while we were with someone else that made us comfortable and question everything we thought we knew.
I wanted to see this film a lot earlier, and was bumped to discover it on Netflix.  If you like relationship films at all - this is a must see!

1871 - Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

I've seen this film a few times, and I always think that distance will make me like it more - but I can't separate it from the books as much as I would like.  Here's the thing - I dig this film - I appreciate what a visual feast it is, I like the tone.  The cast is a who's who of a lot of my favourite actors.  My beef is the heart of it.  It's…. missing.  The big difference between this and the comic is that the comic takes place over the course of, I believe, two years.  This takes place in, maybe a week or so.  So the story is richer in the book and more about how hard it is to be in a relationship.  And I like Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an actor, but she plays Ramona Flowers as far too indifferent to make me invest in any way in the relationship.  

I'm absolutely sure that I'm too hard on this film, 'cause it's a shitload of fun - but there was a heart to the books that really spoke to me and my own experience with relationships - and mores than the awesome fights and quirk, that's what I wanted this film to nail.  Alas.  It's still a ball of fun, and a beautiful shout-out to Toronto.  If you haven't seen it you should just because there's almost nothing else like it.

1824 - 50/50

Rewatched this mostly as a visual inspiration or something I'm working on.  I still love the hell out of this film.  The cast is pitch perfect.  Anna Kendrik is beautiful awkward, Rogen is oafish and loveable, and JGL is wounded and honest.  If you want a more in-depth look into my thoughts they're around here somewhere - I'm not sure I'll say anything new since I still just loved the hell out of every inch of this film.  When it was finished I wanted to watch it again right away.  If you haven't seen this film you absolutely must.  It's not a heavy-handed piece by any means.  It's light, but with some poignancy and heart to it.  Please, please, see this film.

1788 - 50/50 (commentary)

You can find a full review or two here already of this film as it's not my first viewing, but I decided to check out the commentary whilst I was doing some other things.  It's not the most informative - but it's a good time had by what appears to be good friends hanging out - including the writer whom the film's story is based on.  The commentary provides some decent stories and laughs but I wouldn't call it essential listening.  If you haven't see the film yet please do though - it's fantastic and one of my favorite of last year.

1770 - Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

I still have mixed feelings about this film.  I wanted something to play in the background as I did some planning and prepping for a project at my desk.  I think I'd started this commentary before and never finished it.  It's not another overly remarkable.  You don't get a super large insight into anything, really.  One of the more interesting things is how they talk about the development of the script and how it happened slowly because they started early while Bryan was still writing the books.    Everything else is just them hanging out and having a good time - and chatting about Toronto, which is always lovely as well. 
I'd have to rematch it again on it's own but I think my fundamental issue with the film sticks - and it's in comparison to the books.  The books take place over a decent amount of time - several months at least wherein the film takes place over the course of maybe a week or two.  It makes the shift about a story about how relationships are difficult to being about getting over the hang-ups of a new relationship.  Not a terrible subject matter, but not quite as interesting to me as the former.
All in all I still recommend the books over the film, and the books in general .  It's a fantastic series. 

1688 - 50/50

Okay, so this is still my favourite film of last year.  It's rare that a film grabs you so emotionally like this one does.  You're sitting there, loving the characters, laughing along, and then all of a sudden you're crying and you have absolutely no control over it.  Maybe I'm just a big suck, but on both viewings of this film it got me in two places.  So well done, film, well done.
Seth Rogen and Bryce Dallas Howard are both pretty darn great in their supporting roles, but this film belongs to Anna Kendrik and Joseph Goron-Levitt.  Their chemistry is absolutely adorable, but they also bring this amazing vulnerability to their roles.  You just want to wrap them both up and keep them safe.
I don't put a hell of a lot of stock into the award shows, I think of them more as extended advertising for the films, and in that paradigm this is a film that was absolutely robbed by not getting a single nomination.  Regardless of the fact that the script is so damn solid, and the direction is inspired, this is a film that's extremely timely.  I imagine it's rather difficult this day and age to find someone who hasn't been affected by a loved one with cancer.  This is a story that needed to be told.  It's uplifting when it needs to be, and grabs you oh so well.  I absolutely loved it.  If you haven't seen this yet, get thee to whatever-the-hell you want things on now.  Do it!

1630 - 50/50

The reviews warned me, but I didn't listen.  Sometimes I hate reading reviews because all they really do is fuck with my expectations.  In this case the reviews were pretty consistent in saying that it's a cliche for a film to make you say, "I laughed, I cried" but in this case you did.  And I did.  I sure did. 

This is a film about a young man who discovers that he has a rare spinal cancer, and what happens with his treatment.  Heavy stuff.  Could easily be movie of the week material - hell, it IS movie of the week material, but not the way that it's handled here.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is phenomenal here.  There is a moment near the end of the film in a car that just shook me.  He dazzles on screen (and that's not a word that I use lightly).  The entire cast sizzles.  Rogen is delightful and doesn't over do it.  Howard is lovely as usual, but Anna Kendrick is simply a sight to behold.  She's a very unique actress and I think that it's going to serve her well - what I absolutely love about her is the moments that she plays inbetween moments.  And I normally don't care much for Angelica Houston, but she really did grow on me here. 

I'm not going to give away any details because this is the kind of film that you just need to see for yourself.  There is some stuff that may appear inappropriate, however I think you'd have a heart of absolute stone not to be drawn into this film.  Easily one of the best of the year.  Go see it.