Take note of this film, Cyrus, because whenever it’s released you should definitely plan to see it. Directors Mark and Jay Duplass, along with stars John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill, participated in a Q&A following the screening at SXSW 2010. The clip obviously contains a spoiler or two, but is worth seeing if just for the reflexive comedy.
Most know the generic meaning of a “mama’s boy.” A son walking into the bathroom while his mom is taking a shower — see-through shower curtain, mind you — is something a touch beyond that descriptor. Marisa Tomei being that mother aside, the parent-son relationship depicted in Cyrus is a pretty taboo one. It’s with that unconventional context that the Duplass brothers (The Puffy Chair) bring us a film that is at once creepy, meaningful and most of all damn funny — not to mention one of the best films of SXSW 2010.
Cyrus, starring John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill, is one of the best films of SXSW 2010. More on that later, when we post our review of the film. For now, here’s the intro to the film by directors Jay and Mark Duplass.
Ed Norton takes a note from likes of Michael Cera (Youth in Revolt) and Sam Rockwell (Moon) in his new film, Leaves of Grass, playing the opposites side of the same coin — Billy, the academic, and his brother Brady, the stoner. The film, directed by Tim Blake Nelson, surrounds the Kincaid twins (again, both played by Norton) and the dark shenanigans that ensue when the hippie half tricks the other into returning to their small hometown of Oklahoma. If you’re a fan of Norton, Grass may be the perfect drug. The film is very much character-driven, and delivers two different helpings of Norton flavor. Beyond the stimulating textures of Billy and Brady, however, the plot is mostly mellow with occasional hits of complexity and violence.
Patrick Wilson’s new film, Barry Munday, which premieres this week at SXSW in Austin, looks super cute, if not incredibly bizarre. The basic plot surrounds Wilson’s character losing his family jewels, but gaining something far more valuable in return. The equation is a bit cheesy, sure. The apparent humor and interesting cast, however, seems like it can work.
When word hit the street that Kevin’s Smith’s R-rated buddy cop comedy would be called A Couple of Dicks, it became pretty clear that his new film would be one with balls. Eventually, marketing pragmatism castrated the title to simply Cop Out, yet the film’s vulgar reflexes and Smith charm thankfully remained intact. Bruce Willis and Tracey Morgan star as the latest odd cop couple stumbling their way through investigation and drama, much like their “Chinegro” parallel, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker of Rush Hour. Despite their three films wearing thin this favor of mixed-race mash-up, Smith (and writers Robb and Mark Cullen) bring surprising energy and laughs to the formula. Chalk much of it up to Willis taking his Die Hard persona down a comedic path, and Morgan…well, being Morgan — the loud, shameless man-child audiences have come to love in “30 Rock.”
I was really looking forward to Get Him To The Greek, since I adored Russell Brand’s character, Aldous Snow, in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Sadly, judging from the first trailer, it looks like Greek is probably just a fun after-thought, and nowhere on the level of Sarah Marshall, (despite what the marketing may want you to believe). Why the hell does P. Diddy have such a prominent role?
The average (sex) teen-aged boy thinks (sex) about sex (sex) every 7 seconds (sex). While this might be an old wives’ tale (like that one about hairy palms) you wouldn’t know it from Youth in Revolt. It’s a quintessential coming of age story revolving around sex, sex, and more sex.
