About the author
To watch or not to watch? I will tour around Amsterdam’s cinemas and answer this crucial question every Friday. Without mercy, of course. Sucky movies will be slaughtered, cinematographic pearls will be appreciated as such. Or the other way around. After all, good taste is in the eye of the beholder.
Friends With Kids
I hoped this film would be a bit like Our Idiot Brother or Bridesmaids: charming, funny, original. It’s not. Friends With Kids is more like a CDA campaign commercial. A very long one, but still. The point of the film seems to be: family (father AND mother together) is the cornerstone of society. And it all started so progressive. Jason (Adam Smith) and Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) are best friends, end thirties, single and they both want a kid. So, why not make one together? It seems a great solution: they have the kid, they have eachother, but they don’t have the sloppy marriage like their friends (i.a. Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig). Of course, the two other couples don’t think it’s that good an idea, but they’re supportive anyway. While Jason and Julie take care of their kid, they date other people and pretty much live the ‘happy single life’.
This could have been very funny. It’s boring and annoying instead. The actors, apart from Westfeldt with her weird plastic surgery face, don’t seem to like this film either.
Watch this film in Cineville’s The Movies. Also in Pathe (Arena, De Munt).
Le Prénom
A brother, a sister, their loved ones and the best friend of the sister are having dinner in the great appartment of the sister and husband. It’s immediatly clear: this is the typical elite of Paris. Wealthy, intellectual, well spoken. The brother and his wife are having their first baby and the brother wants the others to guess for the first name. (His wife isn’t there yet.)
This ‘prénom’ is the beginning of all kinds of discussions and revelations.
Le Prénom was a very popular play in France and the theatre background is noticeable: all the actors start talking very, very loud at some point. You could even call it screaming. After a while you’re done with that. JUST TALK NORMAL!
Really, it’s possible to make an intense film on one location without the constant volume. Seen Carnage? There you go.
Watch this film in Cineville’s The Movies. Also in Pathe (City, Tuschinski).
Starbuck
Hanoverhill Starbuck was a bull with wonderful sperm. Between 1979 and 1998 he begot about 200,000 offspring. David, our protagonist, didn’t go that far, but the sympathetic spermdonor did create 533 kids; 142 want to meet him. Now the good soul tries to mean something for his ‘kids’, wants to be some sort of guardian angel. Patrick Huard is great as David, a guy that swings back and forth between his kids, his pregnant ex-girlfriend, a police officer, criminal creditors and his marijuana plants.
You’ll leave the theatre in a good mood, that’s for sure.
Watch this film in Cineville’s Studio K. Also in Pathe (City, Tuschinski).
Sharing is caring!
Tweet
