Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine (2010)
Directed by: Derek Cianfrance
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

Blue Valentine is not an easy film to watch. I have seen it twice and the second time was not any easier than the first. That being said, it is probably the best roles Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling have ever played. There is incredible depth in the characters, the writing is tight and well delivered, and the story is heartbreaking. Cianfrance's Sophomore film delivers with with the tautness of a seasoned director.

The film opens with Frankie (Faith Wladyka in her first film role) wandering around a field yelling "Megan". She makes her way back home and encounters Dean (Gosling), her father. Dean is balding, is a chain smoker, and wears glasses more at home on a pedophile. He looks completely different from any other role he has ever done. She tells him that Megan, their Golden Retriever, has gone missing. Dean takes Frankie out to her kennel to find the gate opened hinting at how she got out. Dean explains that she will come home when she gets hungry. The two go in and wake up Cindy (Williams); Dean's wife and Frankie's mother. Cindy prepares oatmeal for Frankie's breakfast and continues getting ready for work. It is at this point the audience is shown how immature Dean is. He encourages Frankie to eat like an animal and is unhelpful when Frankie exclaims that she doesn't like the oatmeal. Cindy then takes Frankie to the car so she can take her to school and Dean goes to work painting a house. The film then shifts to the past and shows Dean applying to work for a moving company. Dean is young, healthy, and full of life. We see the type of person he was and the type of person he has become. Dean and Cindy meet by chance at a nursing home as Dean is moving an elderly man into his room and Cindy is visiting her grandmother. Throughout the course of the film, we see how their relationship starts, flourishes, and eventually dissolves. This clip is taken from one of the happiest moments in the film but it is juxtaposed with clips from the entire film (both happy and sad).

We are introduced to the tremendous amount of talent Dean possesses as a musician but he has squandered it all because of a lack of drive. He has no determination to become anything. He is content doing just enough to get by so he can spend the maximum amount of time with his family. In this clip, Gosling explains that the film is much like a murder mystery which is a great way to explain the course of events.


As Gosling mentions in the interview above, the film is shot in two very different ways. The present day scenes where Dean and Cindy's love is in shambles has a very cold feeling. The scenes take place in July yet because of the blue color palette it feels like the dead of winter. The past scenes, where the two characters are falling in love, feel very warm and bright even though they take place in the winter months. The combination of the two creates a dissonant yet cohesive narrative.

No BS

Blue Valentine is a fantastic film but it is not for everyone. The film ends very unceremoniously and there are scenes that will leave you feeling sad and empty. There was quite a bit of controversy over the rating of the film because of some graphic sex scenes between Gosling and Williams. However, in the context of the story, everything feels necessary and fits well within the narrative. I recommend seeing this film if you can handle the extreme emotions it will undoubtedly stir.

My Score: 8/10

New Han Solo

It was brought to my attention today that Disney has announced that they will be doing a Han Solo prequel movie. From what I understand from thislink the movie will be one of two that Disney is making that well be separated from the new Star Wars trilogy set to hit theaters in two years. The question that is on everyone's mind is "who will replace Harrison Ford". Using the above link's suggestions, I will discuss who I think could be the next scruffy-looking Nerf herder.

Timothy Olyphant

Olyphant has gained popularity recently due to his starring role as Raylan Givens in FX's Justified. I have never seen Justified so I cannot speak about how that would relate to him playing Solo. Olyphant has portrayed Agent 47 in the film adaptation of the Hitman game as well as several characters known for their inability to stand for nonsense (The Girl Next Door, Live Free or Die Hard, and I Am Number Four to name a few). These roles prove that Olyphant can at least bring the attitude of Solo to life but whether he can hold up against Ford is another question. Also, the biggest thing standing in Olyphant's way (as you will notice for many of these choices) is his age. I don't think he could be a believable pre Episode IV Han Solo.

Josh Holloway

Best known for his role as Sawyer on Lost, Holloway has not seen much work in his career. If we look solely at his stint on Lost then I can see how he could be justified as a good Solo. Sawyer's background revealed that he was a con artist before the crash which fits nicely within the smuggler lifestyle of Han Solo. My concern here is his age.

Josh Brolin

I love Josh Brolin. He makes everything he is in better. My concern here is that he, again, is too old. Brolin played a young Tommy Lee Jones in Men In Black 3 last year but he still had the same presence as his older counterpart.

Nathan Fillion

Fillion is probably, by far, the people's favorite choice for this role. Fillion's role as Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly is practically a Han Solo clone (not to belittle Joss Whedon's character). Fillion is 41 which is six years older than Ford when he starred in the original Star Wars. Again, I fear he may be too old.

Christian Bale

No. I am tired of people throwing Bale's name out there for every role. He is like this generation's Johnny Depp. Any character that could potentially be brooding or unhinged at any point always get's Bale attached to it. He would not be right for Han Solo. I am not sure Christian Bale laughs unless it is in his script and Han Solo definitely has his hysterical moments. Plus, imagine the on set blow ups we would be subject too when a giant Wookie hits a lighting rig accidentally.

Chris Pine

While Pine is the first of these options that is the right age there is no reason we should entertain him for the role. This is a sad fact because he would be perfect. You know why? Because of his portrayal of James T. Kirk in JJ Abrams' Star Trek. He is a perfect example of the renegade that Han Solo is but he is already committed to the Star Trek universe. There is NO WAY he could transcend that geek boundary without some serious repercussions. It's really too bad.

Ryan Gosling

Gosling is not right for this role. At all. Han Solo is a fast talking, thrill seeking, selfish smuggler. Ryan Gosling has made a career out of being every woman's fantasy. His popular "Hey Girl" meme plays to this character trait beautifully. I feel that seeing Gosling try and fit into Solo's shoes would be uncomfortable and awkward.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo was introduced to a large audience last Summer when he played Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers. Before then he had been in romantic comedies and small dramas (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). I think Ruffalo could handle the role with ease but again, age plays a large factor.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Gordon-Levitt is constructing a pretty remarkable career. The former child star has developed into an incredibly talented leading man. Last year's Looper showed that he could be comfortable as a gunslinging sci-fi star. I think he may be the best choice out of this list to step into the coveted role of Han Solo.

Kyle Chandler

I hate that Chandler is just now starting to get recognition. He has been great in everything he has done especially Early Edition and Friday Night Lights. He has shown that he is capable of holding the screen with his recent role in Zero Dark Thirty. At 47 years old, he is a dozen years older than Ford when he first sat in the pilot's seat of the Millenium Falcon however he has aged very well. Much like Robert Redford, Chandler looks much younger than he is. I feel he could pull off the role with ease.

Karl Urban

See Chris Pine.

Joel Edgerton

The Aussie that first caught my attention in 2011 's Warrior could be a great fit for the Solo role. He could play younger than his 38 years but probably not as easy as other choices. He hasn't really done many roles where he totes a gun and demands attention but it could be fun to watch him try (not an attitude you want to have with a huge franchise like Star Wars). Also, he was in Episodes two and three as Uncle Owen (I didn't know that until I read this article).

Dave Franco

James Franco's younger brother Dave is beginning to break into Hollywood as a real player. He has gone from bit roles to leading in a matter of a few years. Last year's 21 Jump Street was one of the funniest films of the year and Franco was great in it. My concern here is that this doesn't seem to be his type of role but he also hasn't proven that it isn't his type either.

Jason Clarke

Honestly (and no offense to Clarke) I am not sure why he made this list. He is a relatively unknown Australian actor that made waves this/last year with his role in Zero Dark Thirty. Plus, he is too old.

Taylor Kitsch
Last in this list of hopefuls is Taylor Kitsch. Kitsch was beloved as Tim Riggins in Friday Night Lights. His recent foray into the Sci-Fi realm with John Carter was not a success but he was great in Oliver Stone's Savages so I feel he could work. He is the right age and could definitely pull off the look as well. I think he might be my number two selection on this list.

So there you have it. A breakdown of the top candidates as put forth by FirstShowing.net. Who do you think should be considered? What is your feedback on their selections?

Movie 43

Movie 43 (2013)
Directed by: Various
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 5%

vi·gnette [vin-yet] noun: any small, pleasing picture or view. a small, graceful literary sketch.

Saturday Night Live has been successful for three decades by utilizing the concept of vignette. It is a type of entertainment that works well with stage shows and television; not film. There have been exceptions: Jim Jarmusch's 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes and the ensemble directed 1995 film Four Rooms are two examples of the disjointedness of the bits working well together. Movie 43 is not a successful vignette; it's not a successful anything.

Movie 43 is a "film" of shorts told within the structure of a real story. Greg Kinnear plays Griffin, a film executive working at a Hollywood production company. He is being pitched a series of ideas by Charlie (Dennis Quaid). Each of the ideas that Charlie throws out becomes its own story within the story. None of the ideas are fleshed out and what we get is a series of absurd and uncomfortable short films. I don't want to go into too much detail just in case you, my readers, ever want to subject yourself to watching this terrible terrible movie. I will break down three of the fourteen shorts so you can have an idea of what kind of terrible I am talking about.

Story #1: The Catch - Directed by: Peter Farrelly

Kate Winslett stars in this film about a a woman going on a blind date with one of the cities most eligible bachelors (Hugh Jackman). Beth (Winslett) and Davis (Jackman) arrive at a nice restaurant and are already engaged in conversation. They are laughing and enjoying each other's company. As they are seated, Davis removes his scarf he has been wearing to reveal a set of testicles on his throat. Beth is immediately horrified as this is not something that you typicallyever see. Throughout the dinner the two are approached by wait staff members and friends of Davis who don't make any mention of his throat balls. The story ends when Griffin interrupts Charlie (who is presumably telling him this idea) because it is gross and disturbing.

Story #2: Veronica - Directed by: Griffin Dunne

This story opens inside a supermarket. A less than enthused employee is rambling over the PA about their specials and sales within the store. Several people meander about the aisles like zombies. The clerk is interrupted when Veronica (Emma Stone) slams a box down on his checkout lane. It is quickly revealed the two are or were lovers. After an uncomfortable exchange between the two; Veronica storms out. An elderly man walks up to the clerk and asks to use the PA microphone. He gives an impromptu speech about finding true love and how the clerk, Neil (Kieran Culkin), should go after her. The people in the store offer to take his shifts and he flees out the door after Veronica.

Story #3: Victory's Glory - Directed by: Rusty Cundieff

This is the funniest sketch in this movie but it is a one trick pony. Terrence Howard plays Coach Jackson, a basketball coach for a black high school in 1959. He is giving a pep talk to his team in the locker room before the championship game against a rival white school. The team is scared they are no match for the white team but Jackson tells them they have nothing to fear because this is basketball; and they are black. That is the whole story. Jackson continues to tell them that because they are black they will win. Throw in a few references to penis size and you have the entire story.

I wanted to like Movie 43. There are more stars in this film than any other movie I've ever seen. What it comes down to though is that there is nothing going on. There is nothing tying these stories together and they all feel aimless. I believe that some producer of this film has incriminating evidence on all the people involved and that is why they lent their time and effort to the project. There are Oscar winners and nominees in this film. Normally talented people are reduced to caricatures. It is quite sad to watch. I refuse to post any videos related to this film because I don't want to subject you to them but they are out there if you dare to risk your sanity. I would like to apologize to my girlfriend for subjecting you to this. We should have seen Warm Bodies.

No BS

Don't see this movie. Plain and simple.

My Score: 1/10 (there are some cheap laughs)

House of Cards

House of Cards (2013)
Directed by: David Fincher (Pilot)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: n/a

My blog is dedicated to the reviewing of films however I feel that I must discuss House of Cards. The main reason for this is because the pilot felt like a movie. High production values, premium talent, tight and interesting writing, and a supremely engaging plot make this show worth talking about. I am only going to discuss the pilot for two reasons: one, it is the only episode I have watched (as of now) and two, I do not want to spoil anything for myself or anyone else. For those reasons I will review based on what can be inferred from episode one only.

House of Cards centers around South Carolina Congressman Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his ploy to oust the newly elected President from office. Underwood is bitter after the promise of the seat of Secretary of State is abruptly taken away by the new Cabinet. His bitterness is justified however because without Underwood's support, Garret Walker (Michael Gill) would never have been elected. Underwood's plan is to start tearing down everyone involved with the new administration; starting with the newly elected Secretary of State, Michael Kern (Kevin Kilner). He plans to do so with the help of his wife, trusted aids, and a driven reporter at the Washington Herald, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara).

House of Cards does so much right that I cannot see anything wrong. Kevin Spacey is terrific in his role as Frank Underwood. The line between antagonist and protagonist is blurred to the point you'd believe is the the villan and the victim in this story. Underwood routinely breaks the fourth wall to let the audience in on his thoughts. In this trailer, you can get a brief example of how fluidly Spacey delivers his aside.

House of Lies is another show that employs the same tactic. It is used for the same reason but is done in a more flamboyant style. Again, this is an example and can be understood more if you see the whole episode.

Adding to the terrific casting (Robin Wright does her best role in years) the cinematography is spot on for a Fincher film. If you view them carefully, you will see similarities in all of Fincher's movies. The Social Network, Fight Club, Se7en, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc all utilize a specific color palette. There is a great article hereif you want to know more. Essentially, Fincher utilizes a number of different greens and blues to get the feel of his movies just right. When you discuss the colors within the parameters of their given films, their significance is striking. Fight Club is grimy and bloody. The sickly greens and muted blues that he uses add to the dirty feeling you get as you watch it. Pay attention to the actual fight scenes in this clip. Notice how they feel different than the others.


Coloration is such an important aspect of film but it is rarely discussed in detail outside of film classes. House of Cards employs a lot of blues. This, I feel, adds coldness to the scenes. You get sold on the fact that D.C. is not a nice place. It's not warm; it's not friendly; it's hostile. I cannot wait to watch the rest of the season!

No BS
House of Cards is a tightly written, wonderfully acted, and brilliantly shot political thriller. If you've enjoyed the numerous John Grisham adaptations then you will easily sink right into the world that has been crafted. There are plenty of blogs out there to binge watching the whole season. Keep in mind there are thirteen episodes, each one is an hour, and it came out five days ago. That's how addicting this show is.

My Score: 9.5/10

Safety Not Guaranteed

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before."

Safety Not Guaranteed is one of those films that can be appreciated by anyone that watches it. On the surface it is a quirky comedy about a grocery store clerk named Kenneth (played by Mark Duplass) who is trying to find a trustworthy soul to travel into the past with him. An intern at a magazine in Seattle, Darius (Aubrey Plaza), is selected as one of two people to accompany Jeff (Jake Johnson) in his investigation of Kenneth's unusual newspaper ad. When Jeff, Darius, and Arnau (Karan Soni) arrive in the small beach community where Kenneth lives it is revealed that Jeff has ulterior motives. He has come to the area to rekindle a relationship with a girl, Liz (Jenica Bergere), he once "dated". Jeff attempts to connect with Kenneth but is quickly dismissed when he senses that Jeff is not committed to the cause. Darius then volunteers to try her luck. She succeeds and forms a strong bond with Kenneth. Kenneth informs Darius that he is attempting to travel into the past to save his girlfriend, Belinda (Kristen Bell), from being killed when she is hit by a car. Jeff eventually finds Liz and begins to fall in love with her. However, what is a good dramedy without the drama? See this film!

What I liked the most about Safety Not Guaranteed (other than forcing me to finally learn how to spell guarantee) is that while it is silly at times you can tell that everyone involved absolutely loved the story, and they took the silliness seriously. Watch this interview with Duplass about his character, Kenneth:
**WARNING THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS INTERVIEW**
Duplass talks about the genuineness of Kenneth. "He's a believer". It is refreshing to have someone play a character that is capable of taking things at face value. Someone that doesn't analyze everything. Kenneth's wardrobe throughout the film consists of quite a bit of denim, a mullet, and a headband. To take him seriously is definitely a task but Duplass makes it easy. The only reason you ever doubt his ability to time travel is because of the other characters. That takes talent. Duplass typically makes films, with his brother Jay, in the Mumblecore genre. These films are likened to the cinema movement from Denmark called Dogme 95. I studied these films while in school and their influence on Duplass' films (Cyrus, Jeff Who Lives At Home, Baghead, and others) is evident. They are tough to watch for some because they are...boring. They revel in being real; natural; believable. That's not what we watch films for. We want an escape from boring. This is why Duplass' films don't draw large box office numbers. Do I enjoy them? Absolutely! I thoroughly enjoyed Jeff Who Lives At Home and though that Cyrus was a great project for Jonah Hill to take in an effort to branch out of his comfort zone. Safety Not Guaranteed (along with The League) is Duplass' way of exploring his more comedic side. He is great as Pete on The League!

No BS

Safety Not Guaranteed has something for everyone. There is love, action, comedy, and a dash of hardcore geekery. While the framing of the film is a man looking for a time travel companion the guts of the plot have nothing to do with the actual time traveling. If you've seen Mark Duplass, Aubrey Plaza, and Jake Johnson on their sitcoms (The League, Parks and Recreation, and The New Girl respectively) then this is a great opportunity to see them flexing some artistic muscle.

My Score: 9/10

Cool As Ice

Cool As Ice (1991)
Directed by: David Kellogg
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 8%

Hate Watch - The act of watching something simply for the joy of mocking it. This is not something I do regularly. I can just never bring myself to dedicate time to something that will not enrich my life in any way. Why would I want to watch a terrible movie on purpose? The good people from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax answered that question: because it's fun! As I was looking for things to watch Cool As Ice caught my eye. I had only heard about this movie in hushed tones. I wasn't sure it actually existed. When I saw that it was available OnDemand I got really excited. The only thing I knew about Cool As Ice is that it stars Vanilla Ice and that it was notoriously panned by critics (like everything Vanilla Ice does). Before I start, watch this clip. Trust me, it is worth the 5 minutes. It sets up the movie far better than I ever could.

This movie is INSANE! Literally everything about it is...bizarre. It is ultimately several music videos linked together by an uninteresting plot (which makes sense when the only other work the director has done IS music videos). The movie opens with Johnny Van Owen (I am going to refer to him as Ice in this review because why the Hell not) and his buddies riding motorcycles around the countryside in the early morning. The group sees an attractive woman, Katherine (Kristin Minter), riding a horse. Ice decides to ramp his motorcycle over a fence (because why not) and scares the horse which then throws Katherine off. She is less than thrilled about the fact that she almost went the way of Christopher Reeve and she punches him in the stomach. Because Ice has the mentality of a nine year old he thinks this means she is in love with him. He takes this as the universe's way of saying "Yeah, pursue her". Ice's sweet jump left his bike in less than working order so the group becomes stranded in the nearby town. The plot is similar to Doc Hollywood/Cars. While Ice and his "crew" are stranded in town they make their mark by introducing hip hop and neon colored clothing to the people. Kathy's parents and boyfriend, Nick, see that she is beginning to develop a crush on Ice and they discourage her from spending time with a drifter (because apparently Ice and his gang travel from town to town doing hip hop like hobos with terrible fashion sense but fly dance skillz). After several scenes of shenanigans and Ice motorcycling around town it is revealed that Kathy's father Gordon (Michael Gross) has a secret past. He is living under a fake name because he owes some crooked cops money. Frankly, this whole story was lost on me because I was so distracted by all the colors and weird hair styles. In the end, Kathy and Ice ride off together presumably to live as a duo of motorcycle riding, neon parachute pants wearing, hip hop dancing drifters.

This is what I think Vanilla Ice would do with a copy of Cool As Ice if he were to encounter one (go to about 1:27 in)

This is unfortunate because when aliens ultimately come to Earth to take control of our lives they will need to know that we didn't always take ourselves so seriously.

No BS

Cool As Ice is a truly awful movie but it is awful in a way that you can watch it and thoroughly enjoy yourself. I imagine there is a great drinking game to be invented for it. I bet if I had watching this movie drunk I would have found it much more entertaining and probably a lot more interesting. As it is, if you are looking for something of substance then keep looking. Cool As Ice was obviously intended to be a vehicle for Ice in an effort to secure more fame. Where did it fall short? Watch it and tell me.

My Score: 3/10

Almost Famous

Almost Famous (2000)
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

Almost Famous was lost on me when it was released in 2000. I wasn't paying close attention to dramas so it flew under my radar. I wasn't even aware that the always incredible Cameron Crowe had directed it. A few years after its release I decided to sit down and watch it. I watched Mark Wahlberg's Rock Star instead. It was bad and unbelievably generic. For some reason, I had equated Rock Star with Almost Famous (because they both involve music?) and so I decided to forego watching Almost Famous. I caught bits and pieces over the years and realized that this is a movie I absolutely needed to see. As I was trolling HBO OnDemand today I was blessed with the good fortune of finding it available to watch. I started the download and began to watch what I believe to be Crowe's absolute best film to date. Almost Famous has many MANY things going in its favor; I will discuss three. The music, star power, and believability of the story all contribute to what is a remarkable film.

Before I go into why Almost Famous is so great; I will give a short synopsis. William Miller (Michael Angarano/Patrick Fugit) is an eleven year old boy that is being raised by a conservative yet free spirited single mother (Frances McDormand). His sister, Anita (Zooey Deschanel), leaves home to become a flight attendant in order to escape their mother but she leaves him all of her records. This proves to be a life altering moment for William. She leaves a note in the album sleeve for The Who's Tommy that instructs him to light a candle and listen to the record; you'll see your future. William promptly follows Anita's advice and the film jumps to 1973. William is now fifteen and is an avid fan of all the biggest names in rock and roll music. He has become a talented writer and he routinely sends his published pieces to Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a writer for Creem magazine. William gets a chance to meet Bangs after a radio interview and the two become fast friends with Bangs serving as a mentor to William. He gives William an assignment to write about Black Sabbath. William attends the Sabbath concert that evening and is able to make his way back stage with the opening act Stillwater. Later, William is contacted by an editor for Rolling Stone magazine and is asked to write a piece about Stillwater. Almost Famous shows the audience what it was like to tour with an up and coming rock band in the early 70's and it's amazing.

The 60's and 70's were arguably the best time for music. Yes, the big names from the era gained fame and recognition off the successes of those before them and yes, there has been good music since then but not like this. Almost Famous has the best soundtrack ever featured in a movie (this is a fact). Just check this out. There is so much talent packed into a two hour movie. Perhaps the most significant is the inclusion of Led Zeppelin's That's the Way. Zeppelin is notorious for being incredibly stingy with the licensing of their music. Jack Black had to send a video begging them to allow him to use Immigrant Song in School of Rock. That in itself makes the film special. Also, this:

Any movie where a bus full of people break out into Elton John's Tiny Dancer is great in my book.

The people in Almost Famous are a big reason why I like the film so much. Crowe based much of the material in the film on his own experiences touring with bands in the 70's as a contributor for Rolling Stone and Fugit emulates him perfectly. His naivety and genuineness is endearing. William is a fan that just wants to meet his idols and write about them. Unfortunately, that is not what music critics do. They need to be real; they need to be harsh. Stillwater's lead singer Jeff (Jason Lee) constantly refers to William as "The Enemy" while he is touring with them because he is a music journalist. Jeff knows that it is William's job to write down everything the band does; good and bad. Kate Hudson as Penny Lane is in one of her best roles. As the leader of the Band Aids she is like a head groupie. They follow the band around but they don't sleep with the members. That's what separates them from groupies. It is revealed later, however, that Penny has indeed slept with most of the band including Russell (Billy Crudup) who has become William's main supporter within Stillwater. Jason Lee and Billy Crudup deliver great performances as bandmates struggling for their identity within the group. Perhaps the most notable performance is from Frances McDormand. Her role of protective mother is so endearing that you can't help but love everything she says.

And this:


The third aspect of Almost Famous that makes it such a great film is the believability of the situations. Now, this may seem strange because William is fifteen and touring with a rock band while writing for Rolling Stone magazine. That seems far fetched but it is based on director Cameron Crowe's real life experiences. He toured with The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, and others. He also contributed to Rolling Stone during this time. Crowe's life is emulated in William and Fugit does a great job of bringing the emotion and excitement to life. I think the film also benefits from focusing on a smaller band (Stillwater) rather than trying to do a semi biopic about a real, well known band (i.e. Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, etc). These guys didn't have endless amounts of money and they were not known by everyone around the world so it made the scenes with the band more intimate. There was no risk of band history continuity being off. Crowe was able to craft a great story in the vein of the 1970's rock scene.

No BS

Almost Famous is a fun movie. The characters are likable and completely believable. I would absolutely recommend it if you like music from the era and enjoy a good coming-of-age story because that's what it is. Cameron Crowe was able to write and direct his personal coming-of-age and it shows. You feel a connection with William as he experiences everything for the first time (sex, drugs, alcohol, heartbreak, etc). Crowe does an excellent job of making it feel very personal.

My Score: 9/10