The Wackness (2008)

The Wackness is a little gem which won the Audience Award at Sundance.

It's about Luke Shapiro (As played by Josh Peck), an outcast and drug dealer, who during his graduation summer of 1994 enters into an adventure to get the girl of his dreams and deal enough weed to pay for tuition.

His sidekick in these times of mix tapes, gangsta rap and heat waves is Dr. Squires (played by Ben Kingsley), a stoner psychologist with marriage troubles (his wife is played by Famke Janssen - hmm, makes me dream of incredible achievements) who has Luke pay his sessions in ounces of weed.

Ben Kingsley's performance is OUTSTANDING.

The whole story is completely out of this world.
absolutely refreshing.

Kidulthood (2006) and Adulthood (2008)

Kidulthood is the story of one day in the life of a group of teenagers in contemporary London.
by teenagers, I mean conflictive youngsters confronted with a world of drugs, violence, sex, gangs, crime and whatnot.

Noel Clarke,who plays the "Sam" character in both movies, the writer of both movies is certainly one of the UK's most promising actors/writers/directors.
While he did not direct Kidulthood, he did go on to direct Adulthood

Adulthood takes place 6 years after the final events of Kidulthood.
The whole story line is also fitted on the timelapse of one day.

Both movies deserve to be watched back to back.

Kidulthood Trailer:


Adulthood trailer:

Smart People (2008)

Smart People deeply shocked me.

It shocked me because it's the first time that I manage to go through a movie (or tv show for that matter) with Sarah Jessica Parker in its entirety.
No, don't worry, I am not crazy, SJP was her usual ugly obnoxious persona.
But, she had little dialog, and was surrounded by a great cast.

Dennis Quaid plays a widowed, depressed, unambitious, English-Lit professor.
Ellen Page plays his early-accepted in Stanford hyper smart daughter
Thomas Haden Church plays the "adopted" brother of Dennis Quaid.
And every single character in this movie is depressed.

I guess that since its been fashionable lately to have movies and tv shows about very rich people who also have "real problems", Someone finally decided to do a movie about the "real problems" of smart people.

In one small sequence, Ellen page asks a girl in a bar: "What is it like to be stupid?", the answer "It's pretty much like sitting alone at lunch every day" was quite a good comeback.

The movie is worth watching if only because of Thomas Haden Church.
This guy has true funny bones. he really steals the show.

All in all, a relaxing afternoon.

Nave #527 (2008)

Nave#527
Which I would translate to "Warehouse n°527"

Kai wakes up in a strange place. He's confused and feels sick.
He can’t remember anything,
He can’t find his way out.
A strange man dressed in black appears suddenly,
asking him about a girl: Luna.
Kai doesn’t know what he's talking about.

This Short is Directed by a friend of mine: Ivan Castell
a promising talent from Spain
I love the guy, so I can't be very objective about this.
there's a pretty strong atmosphere in the story.
it makes you feel as though as if you were inside the warehouse, witnessing it all, powerless.
The photography is excellent
the acting is decent
enjoy

Nave #527 (english subtitles)