Entertainment Film
Movies you might have missed in 2012 Distracted by the impending apocalypse? Here are a few films that may have gotten past you last year.
By Alyssa Nabors
Now that the Mayan dangers have passed and we’ve safely reached the year 2013, you might be looking forward to the torrent of sequels and long-anticipated film releases coming soon to a theater near you. But you also might take a moment to think about the features overlooked in all the frantic hurry to get your hands on plenty of tactical bacon in the face of the apocalypse. Allow me to make a few suggestions:
Hysteria stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, a Victorian-era feminist with father-disapproved humanitarian activities, opposite Hugh Dancy as a young doctor whose progressive ideas on germ theory make it difficult for him to hold down a job. Hysteria tells the story of the invention of the vibrator. While you might detect trace elements of the traditional romantic comedy, the tongue-in-cheek treatment of not-safe-for-work subject material is an entertaining and interesting look at some of the historical misconceptions about female sexuality and women’s role in society.
if you enjoy the movie, you may want to check out the book! Based on a classified ad that made the rounds on the internet a few years ago, Safety Not Guaranteed details the attempts of a magazine writer and his two interns to get a story on the ad’s writer. Aubrey Plaza plays Darius, one of the interns who just doesn’t seem to fit in, and is given the task of getting close to the advertiser, Kenneth (Mark Duplass). Meanwhile, the writer, Jeff (Jake Johnson), connects with an old flame and fellow intern Arnau (Karan Soni) just tries to stay out of everyone’s way. This falls somewhere in between a typical quirky indie film and a Schroedinger’s brand of science fiction: is Kenneth a prankster, a delusional paranoid, or could he be telling the truth? Definitely check out the soundtrack single “Big Machine” by Ryan Miller, although you can also find the acoustic version by Mark Duplass on the complete album.
Jeff, Who Lives At Home premiered at the Toronto film festival in 2011, but wasn’t released in theaters until last March. Starring Jeff Segel as a seemingly typical thirty year old slacker still living in his mom’s basement, Susan Sarandon as his mother, and Ed Helms as his older brother. The plot of the movie closely mirrors a comment Jeff makes at the film’s opening- a collection of seemingly random events that, at the end, all lead to one perfect moment- it’s a sort of unexpectedly heart-warming flick. Going into One for the Money, you might expect one more generic romantic comedy, but instead of a perpetual bridesmaid or an uptight reporter, Katherine Heigl plays a down-on-her-luck former Macy’s employee turned bounty hunter. Fortunately, this movie has enough crime thriller in the mix to balance out that romcom flavor - and Heigl and her love interest have a definite Casey Jones/April O’Neil vibe to keep the characters from feeling stale. This is an adaptation of the first novel in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, so
10 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013
Finally, I strongly advise gamers and aspiring game developers to check out Indie Game: The Movie. Focusing on the lives and practices of the creators of such games as Fez, Braid, and Super Meatboy, the film takes you from inception to development to release and beyond, covering everything from legal woes, working with big companies, responding to reviews, and more. This glance behind the curtain is a must-see for anyone interested in the field. Look for these films and many more on Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, and Redbox - You never know what you might have missed!
Clockwise from top left: Sony Pictures Classics, Film District Distributions, Blinkworks, Lionsgate Films
Film Apocrypha