list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Welcome to the Dollhouse on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Welcome_to_the_Dollhouse/93002/default.aspx Title: Welcome to the Dollhouse
Year: 1996
Director: Todd Solondz
Plot: Twelve-year-old Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) is perhaps the most put-upon adolescent in film history in Todd Solondz's bitterly hilarious black comedy Welcome to the Dollhouse. Dawn is bright but awkward, both physically and socially, and is appallingly unpopular among her peers, to whom she's better known as "Wienerdog." Possessing little charm or grace and perhaps the most misguided fashion sense of her generation, Dawn is not an easy girl to like and practically no one seems interested in making the effort. If life is tough for Dawn at school, it's hardly any better at home. While her folks dote on her gratingly cute younger sister Missy (Daria Kalinina) and look with pride to her bookish older brother Mark (Matthew Faber), Dawn is either ignored or treated as an annoyance. Dawn has developed a crush on Steve (Eric Mabius), the hunky guitarist Mark has drafted into his rock band (significantly, Mark is less interested in making cool noise or unloading teenage angst than in having another extracurricular activity to put on his college applications); Steve is polite but obviously not interested in her. However, Dawn has attracted the attention of a boy at school -- Brandon (Brendan Sexton Jr.), a mean-spirited junior thug whose idea of a good time is threatening Dawn with rape. A painfully accurate account of life in junior high (what Matt Groening called "the lowest pit of hell"), Welcome to the Dollhouse is also very funny, but writer and director Todd Solondz never lets the film's humor dilute the agony of its leading character; anyone who has ever been 12 years old will doubtless laugh at Dawn while uncomfortably recalling the horror of their own preteen years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 70
Number of Lists: 42
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:39:07 GMTWelcome to the Dollhouse1996Todd SolondzTwelve-year-old Dawn Wiener (<a href="/players/P___200440/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Heather Matarazzo</a>) is perhaps the most put-upon adolescent in film history in <a href="/players/P___112099/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Todd Solondz</a>'s bitterly hilarious black comedy Welcome to the Dollhouse. Dawn is bright but awkward, both physically and socially, and is appallingly unpopular among her peers, to whom she's better known as "Wienerdog." Possessing little charm or grace and perhaps the most misguided fashion sense of her generation, Dawn is not an easy girl to like and practically no one seems interested in making the effort. If life is tough for Dawn at school, it's hardly any better at home. While her folks dote on her gratingly cute younger sister Missy (Daria Kalinina) and look with pride to her bookish older brother Mark (Matthew Faber), Dawn is either ignored or treated as an annoyance. Dawn has developed a crush on Steve (<a href="/players/P___200399/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Eric Mabius</a>), the hunky guitarist Mark has drafted into his rock band (significantly, Mark is less interested in making cool noise or unloading teenage angst than in having another extracurricular activity to put on his college applications); Steve is polite but obviously not interested in her. However, Dawn has attracted the attention of a boy at school -- Brandon (Brendan Sexton Jr.), a mean-spirited junior thug whose idea of a good time is threatening Dawn with rape. A painfully accurate account of life in junior high (what Matt Groening called "the lowest pit of hell"), Welcome to the Dollhouse is also very funny, but writer and director <a href="/players/P___112099/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Todd Solondz</a> never lets the film's humor dilute the agony of its leading character; anyone who has ever been 12 years old will doubtless laugh at Dawn while uncomfortably recalling the horror of their own preteen years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide70Tag Target (>10)42953http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t17234mrtu1.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Welcome_to_the_Dollhouse/93002/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/6/12/42629.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 6/12/2009 11:39:07 AM
Body: This blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. The Kid Right up front I'll state that I tend to have an aversion to precocious kids in films. As an example, my stock answer for my least favorite movie ever is I Am Sam. It's hard for me to say why, and maybe it's a fault of my own character. I feel much more sympathetic to pathetic and somewhat dimwitted children like the kid in Bad Santa or Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse. In fact I think I've stated this precisely before in another blog, but I keep finding myself pointing it out. But it's actually really difficult to dislike Jackie Coogan in this film. He is adorable and talented. But I can't help but feel like my predilection here might have knocked my rating down a point or two. Now I was just talking with my friend Jason about Buster Keaton and we noted that his best films are the ones where the plot and comedy/stunts are all great. There are some Keaton films with lesser plots that still have fantastic comedy and stunts. Now I find that Chaplin can sometimes become a bit boring to me when he focuses more on atmosphere and plot than just giving us some good comedy. Not that everything has to be hilarious. City Lights made me cry, but I'm not sure why The Kid just seemed a bit more forced. There's no real reason for me to explain it. Just a personal feeling. Still, Chaplin is quite talented in the bits he does do, so there was no regret in watching this. Rating: 7/10
]]>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:39:07 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog6/12/2009 11:39:07 AMThis blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. The Kid Right up front I'll state that I tend to have an aversion to precocious kids in films. As an example, my stock answer for my least favorite movie ever is I Am Sam. It's hard for me to say why, and maybe it's a fault of my own character. I feel much more sympathetic to pathetic and somewhat dimwitted children like the kid in Bad Santa or Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse. In fact I think I've stated this precisely before in another blog, but I keep finding myself pointing it out. But it's actually really difficult to dislike Jackie Coogan in this film. He is adorable and talented. But I can't help but feel like my predilection here might have knocked my rating down a point or two. Now I was just talking with my friend Jason about Buster Keaton and we noted that his best films are the ones where the plot and comedy/stunts are all great. There are some Keaton films with lesser plots that still have fantastic comedy and stunts. Now I find that Chaplin can sometimes become a bit boring to me when he focuses more on atmosphere and plot than just giving us some good comedy. Not that everything has to be hilarious. City Lights made me cry, but I'm not sure why The Kid just seemed a bit more forced. There's no real reason for me to explain it. Just a personal feeling. Still, Chaplin is quite talented in the bits he does do, so there was no regret in watching this. Rating: 7/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/4/16/41621.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 4/16/2009 12:35:16 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. Shane Shane is a legendary name in the history of Westerns, so I had to see it. It took me a while to get into it though. Jean Arthur bored me here actually and I usually get annoyed by prominent kids in movie like this sometimes. Maybe I just don't like kids and this is my personal issue. But I get annoyed with sweet and precocious kids in films. I'm actually more amused and even empathetic to kids in movies that are more dim and pathetic. Take the fat kid in Bad Santa or any of the kids in Welcome to the Dollhouse for instance. Anyways I know this was a totally different kind of movie from a different era, but I just wanted to express that. Shane became more interesting to me as it went along. I was glad when Elisha Cook Jr. showed up. It's always good to see him in a film. But it was at the point of the bar fight that I really took interest. This is one of the best bar fights I've seen in a movie. I'm interested in good movie bar fights. Refer to Tokyo Drifter and The Ninth Configuration for some examples of some other favorites of mine. I know bar fights are often a staple of westerns but this one was pretty exciting! Anyways, yeah, it's a pretty good flick. Rating: 8/10
]]>Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:35:16 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog4/16/2009 12:35:16 PMThis blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. Shane Shane is a legendary name in the history of Westerns, so I had to see it. It took me a while to get into it though. Jean Arthur bored me here actually and I usually get annoyed by prominent kids in movie like this sometimes. Maybe I just don't like kids and this is my personal issue. But I get annoyed with sweet and precocious kids in films. I'm actually more amused and even empathetic to kids in movies that are more dim and pathetic. Take the fat kid in Bad Santa or any of the kids in Welcome to the Dollhouse for instance. Anyways I know this was a totally different kind of movie from a different era, but I just wanted to express that. Shane became more interesting to me as it went along. I was glad when Elisha Cook Jr. showed up. It's always good to see him in a film. But it was at the point of the bar fight that I really took interest. This is one of the best bar fights I've seen in a movie. I'm interested in good movie bar fights. Refer to Tokyo Drifter and The Ninth Configuration for some examples of some other favorites of mine. I know bar fights are often a staple of westerns but this one was pretty exciting! Anyways, yeah, it's a pretty good flick. Rating: 8/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2009/4/5/41453.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 4/5/2009 12:01:22 AM
Body: The third indie feature of the quartet at the top of my Netflix queue was available instantly and is one of those films that I found out about through my two years plus activity on Spout. Up until some group discussion or blog or list exposed me to it, I had never heard of Welcome to the Dollhouse, but when I read about it and saw it available on Netflix, I queued it up because I'm all about the lonely loser genre. Perhaps, I like these types of films because at least a germ of this archetypal character appeals to me, since I recognize some of myself in the type. And, of course, because these characters are so resonant and relatable, I always hope that such a character will find their redemption by the end of the film in a way that would leave me hopeful – not so much in terms of sudden fashion awareness or a fabulous and life-changing makeover or something that alters the character's physical appearance. Instead, I hope that the character in question--like Dawn Wiener in this film--would find acceptance for who and what they are. Unfortunately, as this film painfully reminds the viewer, kids are mean. No, really, kids can kind of suck in their attitudes toward one another, especially pre-teen kids on the crest of puberty. Since humans fear what they don't understand, and since children don't understand quite a bit, it's only natural that someone with intelligence and individuality would frighten children closer to the mean of the curve. This film, however, poses the question: what happens when the lonely losers bring it on themselves, at least in part? Are they still sympathetic or just plain pathetic? Dawn (Heather Matarazzo) is the quintessential awkward pre-teen. At 12, she's unusually intelligent but about as socially awkward as they come, and her fashion sense screams mismatched clearance rack. She's bullied at school, nicknamed "Wienerdog" by most of her classmates, and forgotten at home, the middle child between an angelic, younger sister named Missy, who is doted upon by her mother, and an intelligent older brother named Mark with expertise in computer science. Frequently, these circumstances produce feelings of rage in Dawn, and she's prone to inappropriate outbursts and some projected bullying of her own, even when she knows it's wrong. When Mark forms a rock band and solicits the services of the popular Steve (Eric Mabius – Daniel Meade!) to sing and play guitar, Dawn misinterprets his half-hearted listening ear as possible romantic (and even sexual) interest in her. All the while, Dawn's most incessant harasser seems obsessed with her, threatening to rape her initially while later sneaking kisses from her when others are not looking, and all throughout this process, Dawn remains true to her awkward self, unlikable and, yet, excruciatingly familiar to anyone who once attended junior high. Welcome to the Dollhouse reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite, only more insightful (and less annoying), and Rushmore, only less quirky and with a heroine slightly less lovable. Yet, there is a major difference between these others films and this one: screenwriter and director Todd Solondz never allows Dawn a break. Dawn never finds true redemption or that predictable happy ending common to John Hughes films. The story, in fact, is not so much about Dawn at all but about the growing pains of growing up, and each heart-wrenchingly desperate decision of hers, whether based in pure emotional reaction or on an attempt to conform to what she perceives is "normal," rings true, even when Dawn herself sometimes makes you want to throttle her for her actions stemming from an unadulterated lack of common sense. The film also never takes the easy way out – the cause of her social ineptitude is not necessarily her parents, like The Breakfast Club would want you to believe, and it's not her economic status, like Pretty in Pink portrayed. Dawn is no Molly Ringwald or Ally Sheedy. Dawn is simply Dawn, a flawed character, who strives toward a sense of normality and tries too hard in the process. Heather Matarazzo delivers a mature, powerful, and sincere performance as Dawn, and it was a far more interesting role than some of her later characters, such as her sidekick turn in The Princess Diaries. She inhabited this role in a way that pierced the heart, and if it weren't for her, the film would have faltered and floundered by its conclusion. The acting by the supporting players was passable to good, but the lynch pin of Welcome to the Dollhouse is how resonant Dawn's experiences are to the viewer's memory, and Matarazzo portrayed Dawn's misguidedness and vulnerability in a way that effortlessly invited that connection. There were no technical elements that stood out for me; it's a low-budget flick that made great use of an existing junior high school. It was cringe-worthy to watch some of those mid-90s hairstyles and apparel choices, such as flannel shirts and Scrunchies, grace the screen, but it could not be helped. Even if the then-current costumes now seem dated, Dawn's struggles are timeless. I have two minor complaints about the film. The first is the pacing, which is mostly consistent until Missy gets kidnapped, quite possibly due to Dawn's spiteful neglect in passing a message to her sister from her mother. Never mind that it's somewhat odd that Dawn seems to feel absolutely no guilt about her role in the situation-even when she decides to find Missy in New York, she dreams of her mother's adoration at locating her lost pet rather than showing remorse--but what is strange is that in this moment, the film slows to an inexplicable crawl as the film's final quarter elapses toward its conclusion. The second complaint I have concerns the abrupt nature of the conclusion, which seems out of sync with the slowed pacing preceding it and the way the film unfolded throughout. The story took an odd turn that did not seem to gel with the rest of the film (except for Dawn's impassioned pleas to her bully suitor), and then, when Dawn appears to learn some unexplained lesson and resumes her belabored journey toward adulthood, the film simply ends. While the abrupt ending felt oddly satisfying, in that it was true to Dawn's particular idiom, it also felt like whiplash compared to the preceding 20 minutes. These are but small complaints, though these perceptions on my part did prevent me from entirely loving the film. I still liked the film quite a bit, though, because if Dawn did not remind me of me, she certainly reminded me of people I went to school with that had some of her same personality quirks and foibles, and that were galvanized and ostracized, and it certainly makes you rethink that time in your life when being a human could be overwhelming. I think Welcome to the Dollhouse, therefore, earns an 8 on the patented ratings scale for minor flaws/very good, and as to the test…meh, I don’t know. I don't think it's one I would find myself watching repeatedly enough to buy it, but it was certainly an entertaining and emotional watch, evoking long-lost memories all while reminding me that, seriously, kids are mean. I mean, I really think this film could practically be a documentary, am I right? Who's with me?
]]>Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:01:22 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts4/5/2009 12:01:22 AMThe third indie feature of the quartet at the top of my Netflix queue was available instantly and is one of those films that I found out about through my two years plus activity on Spout. Up until some group discussion or blog or list exposed me to it, I had never heard of Welcome to the Dollhouse, but when I read about it and saw it available on Netflix, I queued it up because I'm all about the lonely loser genre. Perhaps, I like these types of films because at least a germ of this archetypal character appeals to me, since I recognize some of myself in the type. And, of course, because these characters are so resonant and relatable, I always hope that such a character will find their redemption by the end of the film in a way that would leave me hopeful &ndash; not so much in terms of sudden fashion awareness or a fabulous and life-changing makeover or something that alters the character's physical appearance. Instead, I hope that the character in question--like Dawn Wiener in this film--would find acceptance for who and what they are. Unfortunately, as this film painfully reminds the viewer, kids are mean. No, really, kids can kind of suck in their attitudes toward one another, especially pre-teen kids on the crest of puberty. Since humans fear what they don't understand, and since children don't understand quite a bit, it's only natural that someone with intelligence and individuality would frighten children closer to the mean of the curve. This film, however, poses the question: what happens when the lonely losers bring it on themselves, at least in part? Are they still sympathetic or just plain pathetic? Dawn (Heather Matarazzo) is the quintessential awkward pre-teen. At 12, she's unusually intelligent but about as socially awkward as they come, and her fashion sense screams mismatched clearance rack. She's bullied at school, nicknamed "Wienerdog" by most of her classmates, and forgotten at home, the middle child between an angelic, younger sister named Missy, who is doted upon by her mother, and an intelligent older brother named Mark with expertise in computer science. Frequently, these circumstances produce feelings of rage in Dawn, and she's prone to inappropriate outbursts and some projected bullying of her own, even when she knows it's wrong. When Mark forms a rock band and solicits the services of the popular Steve (Eric Mabius &ndash; Daniel Meade!) to sing and play guitar, Dawn misinterprets his half-hearted listening ear as possible romantic (and even sexual) interest in her. All the while, Dawn's most incessant harasser seems obsessed with her, threatening to rape her initially while later sneaking kisses from her when others are not looking, and all throughout this process, Dawn remains true to her awkward self, unlikable and, yet, excruciatingly familiar to anyone who once attended junior high. Welcome to the Dollhouse reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite, only more insightful (and less annoying), and Rushmore, only less quirky and with a heroine slightly less lovable. Yet, there is a major difference between these others films and this one: screenwriter and director Todd Solondz never allows Dawn a break. Dawn never finds true redemption or that predictable happy ending common to John Hughes films. The story, in fact, is not so much about Dawn at all but about the growing pains of growing up, and each heart-wrenchingly desperate decision of hers, whether based in pure emotional reaction or on an attempt to conform to what she perceives is "normal," rings true, even when Dawn herself sometimes makes you want to throttle her for her actions stemming from an unadulterated lack of common sense. The film also never takes the easy way out &ndash; the cause of her social ineptitude is not necessarily her parents, like The Breakfast Club would want you to believe, and it's not her economic status, like Pretty in Pink portrayed. Dawn is no Molly Ringwald or Ally Sheedy. Dawn is simply Dawn, a flawed character, who strives toward a sense of normality and tries too hard in the process. Heather Matarazzo delivers a mature, powerful, and sincere performance as Dawn, and it was a far more interesting role than some of her later characters, such as her sidekick turn in The Princess Diaries. She inhabited this role in a way that pierced the heart, and if it weren't for her, the film would have faltered and floundered by its conclusion. The acting by the supporting players was passable to good, but the lynch pin of Welcome to the Dollhouse is how resonant Dawn's experiences are to the viewer's memory, and Matarazzo portrayed Dawn's misguidedness and vulnerability in a way that effortlessly invited that connection. There were no technical elements that stood out for me; it's a low-budget flick that made great use of an existing junior high school. It was cringe-worthy to watch some of those mid-90s hairstyles and apparel choices, such as flannel shirts and Scrunchies, grace the screen, but it could not be helped. Even if the then-current costumes now seem dated, Dawn's struggles are timeless. I have two minor complaints about the film. The first is the pacing, which is mostly consistent until Missy gets kidnapped, quite possibly due to Dawn's spiteful neglect in passing a message to her sister from her mother. Never mind that it's somewhat odd that Dawn seems to feel absolutely no guilt about her role in the situation-even when she decides to find Missy in New York, she dreams of her mother's adoration at locating her lost pet rather than showing remorse--but what is strange is that in this moment, the film slows to an inexplicable crawl as the film's final quarter elapses toward its conclusion. The second complaint I have concerns the abrupt nature of the conclusion, which seems out of sync with the slowed pacing preceding it and the way the film unfolded throughout. The story took an odd turn that did not seem to gel with the rest of the film (except for Dawn's impassioned pleas to her bully suitor), and then, when Dawn appears to learn some unexplained lesson and resumes her belabored journey toward adulthood, the film simply ends. While the abrupt ending felt oddly satisfying, in that it was true to Dawn's particular idiom, it also felt like whiplash compared to the preceding 20 minutes. These are but small complaints, though these perceptions on my part did prevent me from entirely loving the film. I still liked the film quite a bit, though, because if Dawn did not remind me of me, she certainly reminded me of people I went to school with that had some of her same personality quirks and foibles, and that were galvanized and ostracized, and it certainly makes you rethink that time in your life when being a human could be overwhelming. I think Welcome to the Dollhouse, therefore, earns an 8 on the patented ratings scale for minor flaws/very good, and as to the test&hellip;meh, I don&rsquo;t know. I don't think it's one I would find myself watching repeatedly enough to buy it, but it was certainly an entertaining and emotional watch, evoking long-lost memories all while reminding me that, seriously, kids are mean. I mean, I really think this film could practically be a documentary, am I right? Who's with me? http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/15/39569.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 1/15/2009 3:00:55 PM
Body: Each day this week, Christopher Campbell will take a look back at a “classic” film that played the Sundance Film Festival. Today’s installment: Darren Aronofsky’s Pi (1998). Today’s story is a little shorter than the rest in this series, but it’s worth remembering because it involves another instance where one Sundance success directly resulted in the making of a later Sundance success (a la Slacker leading to Clerks). The earlier film in this case was Welcome to the Dollhouse, which Darren Aronofsky saw at the 1996 festival. In Peter Biskind’s book Down and Dirty Pictures, Aronfsky comments on the experience: “I thought it was such a unique, weird film, that it really gave me the courage to go back to New York and just try to throw something together.” That November he was in production on Pi. A little over a year later, the stylish black and white Pi premiered at Sundance. When he submitted the film, Aronofsky thought maybe it could fit into the festival’s midnight program. Instead, it was selected for competition, alongside High Art, Buffalo ‘66, Next Stop Wonderland and Slam, which would win the Grand Jury Prize. Aronofsky would go on to win the Best Director award, but that wasn’t until near the end of the festival. Days beforehand, the filmmaker was given a first impression that Pi might leave Sundance with bupkis. The first screening, an all-industry presentation, did not go so well. Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein apparently refused to see the film. October Films’ Bingham Ray reportedly hated it and walked out. When the movie ended, there was little applause and not one person asked a question during the Q&A. Fortunately, one important person eventually saw Pi and liked it enough to make it a modest hit while also taking Aronofsky’s promising career under his wing: Amir Malin, who’s company Live Entertainment would soon be renamed Artisan Entertainment and would soon explode as one of the most successful independent distributors of the late ‘90s. Below is the first 20 minutes of Pi. The rest of the film can be found on YouTube in segments if you get hooked. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:00:55 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com1/15/2009 3:00:55 PMEach day this week, Christopher Campbell will take a look back at a “classic” film that played the Sundance Film Festival. Today’s installment: Darren Aronofsky’s Pi (1998). Today’s story is a little shorter than the rest in this series, but it’s worth remembering because it involves another instance where one Sundance success directly resulted in the making of a later Sundance success (a la Slacker leading to Clerks). The earlier film in this case was Welcome to the Dollhouse, which Darren Aronofsky saw at the 1996 festival. In Peter Biskind’s book Down and Dirty Pictures, Aronfsky comments on the experience: “I thought it was such a unique, weird film, that it really gave me the courage to go back to New York and just try to throw something together.” That November he was in production on Pi. A little over a year later, the stylish black and white Pi premiered at Sundance. When he submitted the film, Aronofsky thought maybe it could fit into the festival’s midnight program. Instead, it was selected for competition, alongside High Art, Buffalo ‘66, Next Stop Wonderland and Slam, which would win the Grand Jury Prize. Aronofsky would go on to win the Best Director award, but that wasn’t until near the end of the festival. Days beforehand, the filmmaker was given a first impression that Pi might leave Sundance with bupkis. The first screening, an all-industry presentation, did not go so well. Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein apparently refused to see the film. October Films’ Bingham Ray reportedly hated it and walked out. When the movie ended, there was little applause and not one person asked a question during the Q&A. Fortunately, one important person eventually saw Pi and liked it enough to make it a modest hit while also taking Aronofsky’s promising career under his wing: Amir Malin, who’s company Live Entertainment would soon be renamed Artisan Entertainment and would soon explode as one of the most successful independent distributors of the late ‘90s. Below is the first 20 minutes of Pi. The rest of the film can be found on YouTube in segments if you get hooked. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37173/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/10/2008 10:13:51 PM
Body: 10 Best Dysfunctional Families in Movies (in no particular order): 1.) Gosford Park 2.) Beetlejuice 3.) Happiness 4.) Little Miss Sunshine 5.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 6.) Mommie Dearest 7.) Parenthood 8.) Slums of Beverly Hills 9.) The Virgin Suicides 10.) Welcome to the Dollhouse
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:13:51 GMTmercurialTop 511/10/2008 10:13:51 PM10 Best Dysfunctional Families in Movies (in no particular order): 1.) Gosford Park 2.) Beetlejuice 3.) Happiness 4.) Little Miss Sunshine 5.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 6.) Mommie Dearest 7.) Parenthood 8.) Slums of Beverly Hills 9.) The Virgin Suicides 10.) Welcome to the Dollhouse http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Mercurial_Yet_Not_Entirely_Unrefined/643/35847/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 10/2/2008 8:17:01 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] What are some good dark romantic comedies? [/quote] Harold and Maude - Undoubtedly the most lauded dark romantic comedy. Arsenic and Old Lace - One of the earliest dark romantic comedies. Sweethearts - If you're not a fan of Janeane Garafalo then probably avoid this. The Living End - About two men, so if that freaks you out then not for you. And very light on the comedy, but nonetheless an interesting view. The House of Yes - About incest, but if Parker Posey was your sister . . . The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis. Romantic. Scary. Funny. Welcome to the Dollhouse - The most endearing Todd Solondz film. Natural Born Killers - True love mixed with spastic humor and homicide. Secretary - I thought it was funny, but others might just get weirded out. American Beauty - No explanation needed. Lost in Translation - Again, fairly mainstream. So my definition of romantic comedy is a little skewed, but I am more than willing to argue why these films fit the bill.
]]>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:17:01 GMTmercurialCommunity Recommendations10/2/2008 8:17:01 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] What are some good dark romantic comedies? [/quote] Harold and Maude - Undoubtedly the most lauded dark romantic comedy. Arsenic and Old Lace - One of the earliest dark romantic comedies. Sweethearts - If you're not a fan of Janeane Garafalo then probably avoid this. The Living End - About two men, so if that freaks you out then not for you. And very light on the comedy, but nonetheless an interesting view. The House of Yes - About incest, but if Parker Posey was your sister . . . The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis. Romantic. Scary. Funny. Welcome to the Dollhouse - The most endearing Todd Solondz film. Natural Born Killers - True love mixed with spastic humor and homicide. Secretary - I thought it was funny, but others might just get weirded out. American Beauty - No explanation needed. Lost in Translation - Again, fairly mainstream. So my definition of romantic comedy is a little skewed, but I am more than willing to argue why these films fit the bill. http://www.spout.com/blogs/thefilmpanelnotetaker/archive/2008/3/18/26341.aspx Post By: thefilmpanelnotetaker
Post To: thefilmpanelnotetaker Blog
Post Date: 3/18/2008 10:00:55 AM
Body: On Saturday, Brooklyn, NY-based filmmaker Leah Meyerhoff will be heading to Beantown to present a retrospective of her short films at the Brattle Theatre during the Boston Underground Film Festival. I had the great pleasure to hang out with Leah recently during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas. I first became familiar with Leah’s work at a screening of short films at the Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series last year where I saw the music video she directed, Team Queen. Soon after, I watched her Student Academy-Award nominated short Twitch, which has played in over 200 film festivals around the world and won numerous awards. Last night, I spoke with Leah about her upcoming trip to Boston and what people can expect there, as well as what’s going on with her feature film in development, Unicorns, and other defining moments in her young career. Leah finds a unicorn in the Enchanted Forest in Austin, Texas, at the Bi The Way World Premiere party during SXSW.TFPN: Can you give a little preview of what you’ll be talking about at the Boston Underground Film Festival? Have you been there before?Leah: This will be my third time there. They showed Twitch and Team Queen there before. It’s a fun festival. They’re calling it a retrospective, which is a little strange because I don’t think I’m old enough for a retrospective. Isn’t that what happens after you’re dead? Anyways, I’ll be screening about a dozen of my short films. A lot of films I made in undergrad at Brown University, some experimental films I made when I was in art school in Chicago, and some of my shorts from grad school NYU. Then I have some commercials and music videos I made outside of school. I’ll be talking about my progression as a filmmaker and how I got from being a teenager going off to college to where I am now about to make my first feature film Unicorns. They’re promoting the Q&A to undergrad and high school students in the area. It’s supposed to be somewhat educational, like an artist lecture, and hopefully will inspire aspiring filmmakers to pursue their own path. Since Twitch was so successful on the festival circuit, I also give lectures at various film schools around the country about how to get into film festivals and what to do once you get in. I enjoy educating people on that process, something I didn’t learn in school and had to figure out for myself.TFPN: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?Leah: I originally thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, something totally not in the arts at all. Then I went school at Brown and started taking film classes. I started with film theory, kind of more on an intellectual basis and then began taking film production classes at RISD which was this art school nearby. I continued to make sculpture, painting, photography and other kinds of visual art for years and went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year. It was almost a half-creative and half-practical decision to go into filmmaking, a way of doing something that I love while also having an impact on the world. I enjoy the collaborative aspect of filmmaking rather than being in a tiny studio all day painting by yourself. It also has a potential to reach a wide audience and affect social change on a level that other art forms aren’t capable of. The distribution system can be mind-bogglingly complicated, but it’s also great because if you can tap into that, you have the chance to really change the way people think. That is part of the reason why I’m particularly interested in coming of age stories about teenage girls. That was the age range for me when I was figuring out who I was in the world and what it meant to grow up as a female in this society. I didn’t see myself reflected in the media. To me, all the TV shows and films I saw were not my reality. Now that I’m older, this idea of creating characters that young girls can look up to or can identify with is a powerful idea.TFPN: Who are some filmmakers that have inspired you? In general, I’m inspired by artists who show the world how it is, raw, gritty and real. Kimberly Pierce is a great example. I like Lynne Ramsay, Jonathan Caouette, Catherine Breillat, and Gus Van Sant. I like artistically-minded filmmakers who are making stories about real people. And at the same time, having a creative take on it and making the world a more beautiful place.TFPN: What is Unicorns about? Has it been cast yet and when do you go into production?Leah: Unicorns is a coming-of-age film about an awkward teenage girl named Davina who escapes to a fantasy world involving unicorns when her first romantic relationship becomes abusive. The film starts on her sixteenth birthday and follows her relationship with an older, punk rock boyfriend. It starts off being fun and exciting, that kind of butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling, and then progressively becomes more and more emotionally and physically abusive. At the same time, her best friend Cassidy has a crush on her and her father is marrying a woman she despises. It’s kind of like an updated Welcome to the Dollhouse. Or another good reference is The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys or Heavenly Creatures. It’s a straight-forward narrative drama, but then there are these fantastical animated elements as well. Were hoping to start shooting this summer. Alison Anders, who is executive producing, is a filmmaker I really admire. Her film Gas Food Lodging was instrumental in my teenage years, so I’m excited to have her attached to the project. We’re hoping to start casting next month with Judy Henderson, who also cast L.I.E. and Twelve and Holding and Eyde Belasco, who cast Half Nelson. She also casts the actors for the Sundance Labs, which the Unicorns screenplay was a finalist for, so that’s a great resource as well.TFPN: Do you have anyone in mind who you’d like to cast in the role of Davina?Leah: It’s tough, because I really want the 16-year-old girl to seem like a real 16-year-old girl. There are not a lot of name actors out there who actually look 16. I like Kristen Stewart a lot. I like this girl named Mia Waskilowska who was in a short I saw at Sundance called I Love Sarah Jane. I’m guessing what’s going to happen is the lead girl will be someone we discover who is authentic and real. For the lead boy, it might be more of a name actor, along the lines of Emile Hirsch or Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Really I just want to cast whoever is most right for the part. Whoever feels the most real. I am not interested in making the next Clueless or Mean Girls. It’s more My So Called Life than 90210, you know? There are not a lot of films about teenage girls to begin with. There are a lot of coming-of-age films about boys, but there are not a lot of female stories out there. And of the ones that are, they’re usually so unlike any reality that I experienced. Which is what inspires me to make this film. To dig beneath the glossy surface and scratch at the heart of the matter. The brutal realities of adolescence. This is why I spend so much time on casting. If I can cast someone compelling and authentic, then most of my job as a director is already done.TFPN: What were some of your favorite films you saw and panel discussions you attended at SXSW?Leah: My favorite film was a documentary called Beautiful Losers, which was about street artists like Shepard Fairey and Harmony Korine. It was beautifully shot. I also liked Lynn Shelton’s film My Effortless Brilliance. And it was fun to see Bi the Way in a theater with a lively audience. Honestly, I came away from that festival wishing I had seen more narrative films. At one point, in the middle of a screening, my friend turned to me and said I just really want to see a scripted film. Kimberly Pierce has been giving me advice on my film, so I really wanted to see Stop-Loss but it played the day after I left. I also went to a lot of panels. The writing panel was useful to me, with Amy Dotson and Scott Macaulay. Also the Fact or Fiction one was interesting. I went to part of the one the Four Eyed Monsters kids were on about digital distribution. I’ve spoken on a lot of panels myself so it’s always interesting to be on the other side. In general, festival panels become somewhat redundant, but at SXSW there were so many incredible people smashed together in this small venue that even if you came in part way though you could pick some stuff up and move on to the next. That’s kind of what I did.TFPN: What would you say are some of the best festivals you’ve ever been to with the best panels?Leah: This year, I actually found the panels at Sundance and Slamdance to be really interesting, but SXSW is definitely up there in terms of good panels. They’re well moderated, have interesting guests, and are short and to the point. I tend to judge festivals on more of a filmmaker criterion. I like smaller festivals that take good care of the filmmakers and have really good programming and fun parties. I really like Woodstock, Milan (in Italy), and Avignon (in France). I used to like Brooklyn Underground, which doesn’t exist anymore. I also really like the Sarasota Film Festival as a filmmaker and an audience member. It’s a really well-run festival. And there’s another festival a lot of people haven’t heard of called Cucalorus in North Carolina that I would put on my top 10 list of all time. They make a point to bring all the filmmakers out, no matter where you’re from. You stay with a volunteer and they give you a bicycle to ride around in this tiny little town. The audience is fantastic and the theaters are beautiful and all the films are great. I also like the Newport International Film Festival in Rhode Island. They have parties in mansions with lobsters. It’s fancy but it’s also down to earth at the same time. I was there the year that they were missing the print for the closing night film and a helicopter landed in the middle of town to deliver it, and because of it, they ended up pushing my screening block. To make up for it, they gave us all a free sailboat ride the next day. I don’t like Sundance and Cannes and the larger festivals as much, especially as a short filmmaker because you can get lost in the mix, but Venice is a really great one. Actually I think Venice has the best Q&As I’ve ever seen where it becomes a real community discussion. Plus, it’s in Italy, which is always nice. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you.
]]>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:55 GMTthefilmpanelnotetakerthefilmpanelnotetaker Blog3/18/2008 10:00:55 AMOn Saturday, Brooklyn, NY-based filmmaker Leah Meyerhoff will be heading to Beantown to present a retrospective of her short films at the Brattle Theatre during the Boston Underground Film Festival. I had the great pleasure to hang out with Leah recently during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas. I first became familiar with Leah’s work at a screening of short films at the Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series last year where I saw the music video she directed, Team Queen. Soon after, I watched her Student Academy-Award nominated short Twitch, which has played in over 200 film festivals around the world and won numerous awards. Last night, I spoke with Leah about her upcoming trip to Boston and what people can expect there, as well as what’s going on with her feature film in development, Unicorns, and other defining moments in her young career. Leah finds a unicorn in the Enchanted Forest in Austin, Texas, at the Bi The Way World Premiere party during SXSW.TFPN: Can you give a little preview of what you’ll be talking about at the Boston Underground Film Festival? Have you been there before?Leah: This will be my third time there. They showed Twitch and Team Queen there before. It’s a fun festival. They’re calling it a retrospective, which is a little strange because I don’t think I’m old enough for a retrospective. Isn’t that what happens after you’re dead? Anyways, I’ll be screening about a dozen of my short films. A lot of films I made in undergrad at Brown University, some experimental films I made when I was in art school in Chicago, and some of my shorts from grad school NYU. Then I have some commercials and music videos I made outside of school. I’ll be talking about my progression as a filmmaker and how I got from being a teenager going off to college to where I am now about to make my first feature film Unicorns. They’re promoting the Q&A to undergrad and high school students in the area. It’s supposed to be somewhat educational, like an artist lecture, and hopefully will inspire aspiring filmmakers to pursue their own path. Since Twitch was so successful on the festival circuit, I also give lectures at various film schools around the country about how to get into film festivals and what to do once you get in. I enjoy educating people on that process, something I didn’t learn in school and had to figure out for myself.TFPN: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?Leah: I originally thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, something totally not in the arts at all. Then I went school at Brown and started taking film classes. I started with film theory, kind of more on an intellectual basis and then began taking film production classes at RISD which was this art school nearby. I continued to make sculpture, painting, photography and other kinds of visual art for years and went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year. It was almost a half-creative and half-practical decision to go into filmmaking, a way of doing something that I love while also having an impact on the world. I enjoy the collaborative aspect of filmmaking rather than being in a tiny studio all day painting by yourself. It also has a potential to reach a wide audience and affect social change on a level that other art forms aren’t capable of. The distribution system can be mind-bogglingly complicated, but it’s also great because if you can tap into that, you have the chance to really change the way people think. That is part of the reason why I’m particularly interested in coming of age stories about teenage girls. That was the age range for me when I was figuring out who I was in the world and what it meant to grow up as a female in this society. I didn’t see myself reflected in the media. To me, all the TV shows and films I saw were not my reality. Now that I’m older, this idea of creating characters that young girls can look up to or can identify with is a powerful idea.TFPN: Who are some filmmakers that have inspired you? In general, I’m inspired by artists who show the world how it is, raw, gritty and real. Kimberly Pierce is a great example. I like Lynne Ramsay, Jonathan Caouette, Catherine Breillat, and Gus Van Sant. I like artistically-minded filmmakers who are making stories about real people. And at the same time, having a creative take on it and making the world a more beautiful place.TFPN: What is Unicorns about? Has it been cast yet and when do you go into production?Leah: Unicorns is a coming-of-age film about an awkward teenage girl named Davina who escapes to a fantasy world involving unicorns when her first romantic relationship becomes abusive. The film starts on her sixteenth birthday and follows her relationship with an older, punk rock boyfriend. It starts off being fun and exciting, that kind of butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling, and then progressively becomes more and more emotionally and physically abusive. At the same time, her best friend Cassidy has a crush on her and her father is marrying a woman she despises. It’s kind of like an updated Welcome to the Dollhouse. Or another good reference is The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys or Heavenly Creatures. It’s a straight-forward narrative drama, but then there are these fantastical animated elements as well. Were hoping to start shooting this summer. Alison Anders, who is executive producing, is a filmmaker I really admire. Her film Gas Food Lodging was instrumental in my teenage years, so I’m excited to have her attached to the project. We’re hoping to start casting next month with Judy Henderson, who also cast L.I.E. and Twelve and Holding and Eyde Belasco, who cast Half Nelson. She also casts the actors for the Sundance Labs, which the Unicorns screenplay was a finalist for, so that’s a great resource as well.TFPN: Do you have anyone in mind who you’d like to cast in the role of Davina?Leah: It’s tough, because I really want the 16-year-old girl to seem like a real 16-year-old girl. There are not a lot of name actors out there who actually look 16. I like Kristen Stewart a lot. I like this girl named Mia Waskilowska who was in a short I saw at Sundance called I Love Sarah Jane. I’m guessing what’s going to happen is the lead girl will be someone we discover who is authentic and real. For the lead boy, it might be more of a name actor, along the lines of Emile Hirsch or Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Really I just want to cast whoever is most right for the part. Whoever feels the most real. I am not interested in making the next Clueless or Mean Girls. It’s more My So Called Life than 90210, you know? There are not a lot of films about teenage girls to begin with. There are a lot of coming-of-age films about boys, but there are not a lot of female stories out there. And of the ones that are, they’re usually so unlike any reality that I experienced. Which is what inspires me to make this film. To dig beneath the glossy surface and scratch at the heart of the matter. The brutal realities of adolescence. This is why I spend so much time on casting. If I can cast someone compelling and authentic, then most of my job as a director is already done.TFPN: What were some of your favorite films you saw and panel discussions you attended at SXSW?Leah: My favorite film was a documentary called Beautiful Losers, which was about street artists like Shepard Fairey and Harmony Korine. It was beautifully shot. I also liked Lynn Shelton’s film My Effortless Brilliance. And it was fun to see Bi the Way in a theater with a lively audience. Honestly, I came away from that festival wishing I had seen more narrative films. At one point, in the middle of a screening, my friend turned to me and said I just really want to see a scripted film. Kimberly Pierce has been giving me advice on my film, so I really wanted to see Stop-Loss but it played the day after I left. I also went to a lot of panels. The writing panel was useful to me, with Amy Dotson and Scott Macaulay. Also the Fact or Fiction one was interesting. I went to part of the one the Four Eyed Monsters kids were on about digital distribution. I’ve spoken on a lot of panels myself so it’s always interesting to be on the other side. In general, festival panels become somewhat redundant, but at SXSW there were so many incredible people smashed together in this small venue that even if you came in part way though you could pick some stuff up and move on to the next. That’s kind of what I did.TFPN: What would you say are some of the best festivals you’ve ever been to with the best panels?Leah: This year, I actually found the panels at Sundance and Slamdance to be really interesting, but SXSW is definitely up there in terms of good panels. They’re well moderated, have interesting guests, and are short and to the point. I tend to judge festivals on more of a filmmaker criterion. I like smaller festivals that take good care of the filmmakers and have really good programming and fun parties. I really like Woodstock, Milan (in Italy), and Avignon (in France). I used to like Brooklyn Underground, which doesn’t exist anymore. I also really like the Sarasota Film Festival as a filmmaker and an audience member. It’s a really well-run festival. And there’s another festival a lot of people haven’t heard of called Cucalorus in North Carolina that I would put on my top 10 list of all time. They make a point to bring all the filmmakers out, no matter where you’re from. You stay with a volunteer and they give you a bicycle to ride around in this tiny little town. The audience is fantastic and the theaters are beautiful and all the films are great. I also like the Newport International Film Festival in Rhode Island. They have parties in mansions with lobsters. It’s fancy but it’s also down to earth at the same time. I was there the year that they were missing the print for the closing night film and a helicopter landed in the middle of town to deliver it, and because of it, they ended up pushing my screening block. To make up for it, they gave us all a free sailboat ride the next day. I don’t like Sundance and Cannes and the larger festivals as much, especially as a short filmmaker because you can get lost in the mix, but Venice is a really great one. Actually I think Venice has the best Q&As I’ve ever seen where it becomes a real community discussion. Plus, it’s in Italy, which is always nice. Originally posted on:The Film Panel Notetaker - Miss a panel discussion? Don't worry! We took notes for you. http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2007/9/11/19690.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 9/11/2007 6:56:00 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entryWelcome to the DollhouseThis is the second movie year countdown movie in a row that was suggested to me by Andy. However I already had my eye on this movie since I had thoroughly enjoyed Todd Solondz's Happiness. However my eye was on one of his other movies before this one. Something about the fact that the main character was an adolescent girl made me think i just wouldn't connect. I was way wrong.I watched this one with Adam who said something like, "this movie is like Napoleon Dynamite if it were more realistic and more funny." He might have also said something about and if it were a lot more sad and painful to watch too, but that might have been implied. Of course Welcome to the Dollhouse came out almost ten years before Napoleon Dynamite too.I find this movie to be so perfect. Off the top of my head I can't think of a better movie starring and about adolescents. The different types of characters and the way they speak, it's all perfect. I think it's because the characters all all so pathetically real. Sure they all have their own delusions, but they all have their own realistic weaknesses. I'm not talking about the invented weaknesses that are usually inserted into characters as some sort of script formula. The fact that all of the characters are flawed and weak makes them all unlovable in ways that would never be shown in most traditional film narratives. But because of that I think you come to love the movie even more, even the characters that you probably should be disgusted by. I embrace it because it feels real and there's nothing else out there to embrace.Can't wait to see more from Solondz.Rating: 10/10
]]>Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:56:00 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog9/11/2007 6:56:00 PMThis blog entry is part of my &ldquo;movie year countdown&rdquo;. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entryWelcome to the DollhouseThis is the second movie year countdown movie in a row that was suggested to me by Andy. However I already had my eye on this movie since I had thoroughly enjoyed Todd Solondz&#39;s Happiness. However my eye was on one of his other movies before this one. Something about the fact that the main character was an adolescent girl made me think i just wouldn&#39;t connect. I was way wrong.I watched this one with Adam who said something like, "this movie is like Napoleon Dynamite if it were more realistic and more funny." He might have also said something about and if it were a lot more sad and painful to watch too, but that might have been implied. Of course Welcome to the Dollhouse came out almost ten years before Napoleon Dynamite too.I find this movie to be so perfect. Off the top of my head I can&#39;t think of a better movie starring and about adolescents. The different types of characters and the way they speak, it&#39;s all perfect. I think it&#39;s because the characters all all so pathetically real. Sure they all have their own delusions, but they all have their own realistic weaknesses. I&#39;m not talking about the invented weaknesses that are usually inserted into characters as some sort of script formula. The fact that all of the characters are flawed and weak makes them all unlovable in ways that would never be shown in most traditional film narratives. But because of that I think you come to love the movie even more, even the characters that you probably should be disgusted by. I embrace it because it feels real and there&#39;s nothing else out there to embrace.Can&#39;t wait to see more from Solondz.Rating: 10/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmspotting/Re_Top_5_Misfits/304/15204/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Filmspotting
Post Date: 7/18/2007 3:32:09 PM
Body: People have named some good ones.Dawn Weiner in Welcome to the Dollhouse was the first one I thought of too.Bruno S. is great in Stroszek, but I actually think The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is even better.Herzog films are great sources for misfits. Actually you could name any of his films.Probably the same for Errol Morris.Most of my favorite movies are about misfits in some way I think. Too many to name.
]]>Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:32:09 GMTRisseladaFilmspotting7/18/2007 3:32:09 PMPeople have named some good ones.Dawn Weiner in Welcome to the Dollhouse was the first one I thought of too.Bruno S. is great in Stroszek, but I actually think The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is even better.Herzog films are great sources for misfits. Actually you could name any of his films.Probably the same for Errol Morris.Most of my favorite movies are about misfits in some way I think. Too many to name. http://www.spout.com/groups/Filmspotting/Re_Top_5_Misfits/304/15104/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: dreamersbrow
Post To: Filmspotting
Post Date: 7/16/2007 9:30:42 PM
Body: "Down and Out" Top 5 Misfits: No geniuses, just Joes and Janes and all the pain that entails. Dawn Weiner ( Heather Matarazzo ) in Welcome to the Dollhouse. We later learn in Palindromes, that Dawn has killed herself, and who can blame her. She is the subject of ridicule and harassment at home and at school. Dawn is the middle child eclipsed by a "smarter" older brother and a "cuter" little sister, Dawn's last shelter from the storm of her life 'The special people's club' must be dismantled for her parents' anniversary party. The scene at the dinner table with the chocolate cake is more painful and difficult to watch than anything a Saw-like movie has come up with.Lee Holloway ( Maggie Gyllenhaal ) and E. Edward Grey ( James Spader ) in Secretary. We're all misfits when it comes to love. The great thing about this movie for me was the way that it took the 'misfits' and made them seem normal. What a beautiful ending when Grey literally cleanses Lee's soul. I was reminded of Psalm 23 when he lays her down on the bed of grass. Enid ( Throa Birch ) and Seymour ( Steve Buscemi ) in Ghost World. Seymour is a gentle spirit, an "authentic", in a world full of fakers. Who but the true believers could leave a message like Seymour did in the personals section. Enid is the misfit as rebel. She rails against the many gray standard faces in their city if banality. Tangentially, is this a case of life imitating art in the careers of Birch and Johansson? Johansson "gets back to work" and Birch disappears on a bus. I would definitely put Birch on my list for career reboots.The Gleaners and I is a beautiful film about the misfits who live in the recesses of our excesses. I love how Varda gleans shots for the film, using the scraps to complete the story as the other gleaners use our scraps to complete their lives. Mark Borchardt from American Movie, the Everyman of my misfits list. Mark is the avatar of each of us as we scurry, and dream, and ultimately procrastinate in order to keep the a dream alive.
]]>Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:30:42 GMTdreamersbrowFilmspotting7/16/2007 9:30:42 PM"Down and Out" Top 5 Misfits: No geniuses, just Joes and Janes and all the pain that entails. Dawn Weiner ( Heather Matarazzo ) in Welcome to the Dollhouse. We later learn in Palindromes, that Dawn has killed herself, and who can blame her. She is the subject of ridicule and harassment at home and at school. Dawn is the middle child eclipsed by a "smarter" older brother and a "cuter" little sister, Dawn&#39;s last shelter from the storm of her life &#39;The special people&#39;s club&#39; must be dismantled for her parents&#39; anniversary party. The scene at the dinner table with the chocolate cake is more painful and difficult to watch than anything a Saw-like movie has come up with.Lee Holloway ( Maggie Gyllenhaal ) and E. Edward Grey ( James Spader ) in Secretary. We&#39;re all misfits when it comes to love. The great thing about this movie for me was the way that it took the &#39;misfits&#39; and made them seem normal. What a beautiful ending when Grey literally cleanses Lee&#39;s soul. I was reminded of Psalm 23 when he lays her down on the bed of grass. Enid ( Throa Birch ) and Seymour ( Steve Buscemi ) in Ghost World. Seymour is a gentle spirit, an "authentic", in a world full of fakers. Who but the true believers could leave a message like Seymour did in the personals section. Enid is the misfit as rebel. She rails against the many gray standard faces in their city if banality. Tangentially, is this a case of life imitating art in the careers of Birch and Johansson? Johansson "gets back to work" and Birch disappears on a bus. I would definitely put Birch on my list for career reboots.The Gleaners and I is a beautiful film about the misfits who live in the recesses of our excesses. I love how Varda gleans shots for the film, using the scraps to complete the story as the other gleaners use our scraps to complete their lives. Mark Borchardt from American Movie, the Everyman of my misfits list. Mark is the avatar of each of us as we scurry, and dream, and ultimately procrastinate in order to keep the a dream alive. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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Number of people who tagged: 36

Number of times used: 63

]]>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:23:51 GMT3593663Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/humor/MemberTagFilms.aspxhumor
Number of films tagged: 207

Number of people who tagged: 34

Number of times used: 55

]]>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:22:49 GMT2073455Tag