Little Miss Brilliant...Cinematic Vacation Continued

Saw "Little Miss Sunshine" last night and a Q&A with the writer. The movie is friggin brilliant. Mike Arndt (the writer) was seemingly actually annoyed at how much $ the film was sold for at Sundance because he feels now the only thing that the press and the industry focuses on is the $ and not the content (for better or worse.) Very good point. But he should know that there is actually a REASON that this film was sold for the most of any film yet at Sundance, it is surprising and heart breaking, sweet and meaningful, in a way very familiar, you watch it and it makes you want to go home and write a movie (as a friend of mine said.) The problem is it is so good that it makes you want to go home and write THAT movie because all the moments make so much sense and fit together so well that it feels like, "of course WHY didn't I think of that?!"
It will likely open across the states slowly and based on word of mouth so look for it in your area and GO SEE it. You will fall in love with Frank, Richard, Olive, Dwayne, Grandpa and Mom just as I did and you won't feel like you are being manipulated into doing so.

The one interesting thing (which is belied in my previous sentence) is that the core of the film revolves around all of the characters having these insane "wants" that are so far out of their reach they have that much farther to fall... except for the Mom who is a more reactionary character and seems to keep them all tied together and moving forward. (I think this is why I can remember all of the characters names except hers.) But if I had thought of it soon enough last night that is the one thing I would have liked to ask Mike Arndt is what does Mom want, besides her family to all get along and be safe, etc.? What is her job? What is her plan for the future?

The other thing is at dinner last night I thought of two other films I've watched during my Cinematic Vacation 2006 and forgot to include in the previous review post.

Winter's Passing - Starring Will Ferrell, Ed Harris, and Zooey Deschanel - One of the better Zooey films of recent, she's just as moody as usual and not particularly emotive, but it's a fairly well told story of her famous author father who has become a hermit and is being taken care of by Will Ferrell and british ex-student of his. Zooey's character maneuvers the psychological pitfalls of growing up, owning up and opening up. 3 out of 10.

Thumbsucker - Starring Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'onofrio, Keanu Reeves, Benjamin Bratt, Vince Vaughn - Director and co-writer Mike Mills adapted this film from Walter Kirn's novel. There is a great discussion between the two of them, very open and casual, on the DVD extras. The film deals with the age-old theme of awkwardness (at any age), loneliness, feeling like an outsider, not knowing your path in life, long term relationships - well obviously lots of things. Lou does an incredible job and sadly I don't think this film is going to get as much exposure as it should. RENT THIS MOVIE. 8.5 out of 10.