LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
This was recommended to me by an old friend. He's someone whose taste in films I completely trust. He hasn't made a bad movie recommendation, as far as I can remember.
LMS has got Indie Film marked all over it --- quirky, offbeat, dark, dark comedy, unconventional journey. These days however, I think "indie" has become overrated. It's a good thing this film isn't (overrated). It deserves all the high praises its been getting.
IMDb synopsis:
Olive is a little girl with a dream: winning the Little Miss Sunshine contest. Her family wants her dream to come true, but they are so burdened with their own quirks, neuroses, and problems that they can barely make it through a day without some disaster befalling them. Olive's father Richard is a flop as a motivational speaker, and is barely on speaking terms with her mother. Her uncle Frank, a renowned Proust scholar, has attempted suicide following an unsuccessful romance with a male graduate student. Her brother Dwayne, a fanatical follower of Nietzsche, has taken a vow of silence, which allows him to escape somewhat from the family whose very presence torments him. And Olive's grandfather is a ne'er-do-well with a drug habit, but at least he enthusiastically coaches Olive in her contest talent routine. Circumstances conspire to put the entire family on the road together with the goal of getting Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine contest in far off California.Best:
- The way they'd have to chase the car so that they can ride it. It's probably one of the funniest scenes I've seen this year.
- When Dwayne writes down on his pad (since he vowed to never speak) "Go hug mom", addressing this to his sister.
- When Dwayne discovers something that will alter his goals forever. And the one person that made him get up again and go was his sister, who only had to touch him by the shoulder.
- Olive's talent portion, as coached to him by her grandfather.
- Alan Arkin!
- Frank (Steve Carell's character) and Dwayne's "conversations"
- That Doctor who broke them the bad news. I can't say what, you've got to watch the movie to understand that moment!
CLICK
Another friend, whom we regularly see, has been telling us over and over --- we've got to watch this movie. It was his best film for 2006.
I like Sandler movies as much as the next person and even while this one had something to do with a clicker (which happens to be a a very important piece in our household), I wasn't too keen on watching it yet. But with yesterday's bed weather, I think my watching this movie was just the right timing.
IMDb synopsis:
Michael Newman seems to have a perfect life- a beautiful wife, two small children, and a job with great potential. But as his jerky boss passes Michael up for promotion after promotion, Michael becomes fed up, and wishes he could find a way to just, oh, skip through the hard parts in life. He gets exactly that -and much, much more- when he stumbles upon the Beyond section of a Bed, Bath, and Beyond in search of a universal remote. But as it turns out, the remote controls, well, the entire universe! At first this seems a blessing, but as the remote begins to program itself Michael finds his life skipping by, sometimes a few months, sometimes years. Will he be able to get his life back before its entirely gone?
Best:
- The use of a lot of 80's and early 90's songs
- Rob Schneider cameo, however corny that scene maybe
- The fact that this movie reminds me of those 80's movies...you know, lead actor stumbles or falls asleep (which we will know only at the end) and experiences an alternate universe, where the story becomes really crazy and predictable, but you'd still enjoy the film anyway.
- The "lessons" you can pick up from this film. Touching moments, however cheesy, typical of Sandler movies.
- That horny dog!
- Sean Astin in red Speedos.... not exactly a "best", but more of a "shock" to me LOL!
- When Sandler's character messed around with his boss (played by David Hasselhoff)... pausing such encounters using his "universal remote" and slapping him silly or farting on his bosses' face... Yes, I've got the sense of humor of a 9 year old!
