Comments on: (500) DAYS OF SUMMER Review http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:27:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: jean irwin http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-135604 jean irwin Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:32:23 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-135604 This review is so off.....once again the popularity of a film makes it target for those who want us who don't want to sit in our seats and be bored by looking at a bee landing on a flower at 50 different angles in the name of art. I didn't like the first 15 mins of the film either. I felt like walking out. But I stayed- and in the end I realized I was being stabbed to the core by the honesty (and chill) of the female character's answers to the male character's questions. This movie's power is in the surprise - for all the formula- truth emerged. And for the dance scene- my friend and I laughed out loud. What a refreshing break from a sex-scene. I have recommended this film to intelligent discriminating friends and they've all loved it. This review is so off…..once again the popularity of a film makes it target for those who want us who don’t want to sit in our seats and be bored by looking at a bee landing on a flower at 50 different angles in the name of art.

I didn’t like the first 15 mins of the film either. I felt like walking out. But I stayed- and in the end I realized I was being stabbed to the core by the honesty (and chill) of the female character’s answers to the male character’s questions. This movie’s power is in the surprise - for all the formula- truth emerged.

And for the dance scene- my friend and I laughed out loud. What a refreshing break from a sex-scene. I have recommended this film to intelligent discriminating friends and they’ve all loved it.

]]> By: Caitlin McGuinness http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-134898 Caitlin McGuinness Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:08:30 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-134898 Could not understand why anyone would, ever, be attracted to anyone as annoying as the female character in this film. Could not understand why anyone would, ever, be attracted to anyone as annoying as the female character in this film.

]]> By: Aeristeia http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-133630 Aeristeia Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:51:29 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-133630 Sorry but this review is badly written. First paragraph put me off instantly. Sorry but this review is badly written. First paragraph put me off instantly.

]]> By: Chris http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-133589 Chris Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:24:28 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-133589 Smartly written review, Karina. Only a few minutes into it, my wife and I looked at each other with horrified, gaping-mouth expressions. We didn't walk out early (we did cover our faces in embarrassment at the seen-it-before-done-better dance number in the park), but if nothing else, our $5.50 bought us sufficient fuel for the fire of an interesting and lengthy discussion about hack directors, lazy filmmaking, and clichés gone wild. On the walk home from the theater, we dug into the (500) Reasons the movie was so terribly awful. (example: Reason #423 -- The "wise old" younger sibling we've seen before several times... WTF? His adolescent sister is more worldly wise than him *and* seems to be a wise old sage on the subject of interpersonal relationships?!? WHY does this keep popping up in these movies? Do that many depressed white kids in their 20's fantasize about getting deep, personal relationship adivce from their pre-teen siblings rather than healthy, normal pestering?) And I 100% agree, that if this movie doesn't do it, SOME movie will have to eventually come along and kill this whole moneymaking pseudo "indie" subgenre. Smartly written review, Karina. Only a few minutes into it, my wife and I looked at each other with horrified, gaping-mouth expressions. We didn’t walk out early (we did cover our faces in embarrassment at the seen-it-before-done-better dance number in the park), but if nothing else, our $5.50 bought us sufficient fuel for the fire of an interesting and lengthy discussion about hack directors, lazy filmmaking, and clichés gone wild.

On the walk home from the theater, we dug into the (500) Reasons the movie was so terribly awful. (example: Reason #423 — The “wise old” younger sibling we’ve seen before several times… WTF? His adolescent sister is more worldly wise than him *and* seems to be a wise old sage on the subject of interpersonal relationships?!? WHY does this keep popping up in these movies? Do that many depressed white kids in their 20’s fantasize about getting deep, personal relationship adivce from their pre-teen siblings rather than healthy, normal pestering?)

And I 100% agree, that if this movie doesn’t do it, SOME movie will have to eventually come along and kill this whole moneymaking pseudo “indie” subgenre.

]]> By: News of the week « cinematographique http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-132392 News of the week « cinematographique Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:55:36 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-132392 [...] too-cool-for-schoolery, it looks to be incredibly well written. Reviews so far have been mixed: see here and [...] [...] too-cool-for-schoolery, it looks to be incredibly well written. Reviews so far have been mixed: see here and [...]

]]> By: Tom http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-131968 Tom Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:12:00 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-131968 That's pretty much exactly how I felt about it - another step in the "Napoleon Dynamite and Waitress, Little Miss Sunshine and Garden State" line. Fingers crossed that this is going to peter off sooner rather than later. That’s pretty much exactly how I felt about it - another step in the “Napoleon Dynamite and Waitress, Little Miss Sunshine and Garden State” line. Fingers crossed that this is going to peter off sooner rather than later.

]]> By: Tracy Dean http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-131605 Tracy Dean Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:41:58 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-131605 Yawn.... This review is a bore. Self-important reviewers make me walk out of the review 30 seconds into it.... Yawn…. This review is a bore. Self-important reviewers make me walk out of the review 30 seconds into it….

]]> By: Andrea http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-131375 Andrea Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:23:01 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-131375 WOW! Awful review, you are WAY off! WOW! Awful review, you are WAY off!

]]> By: “The Ugly Truth”" is that no one will beat “Harry” http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-131172 “The Ugly Truth”" is that no one will beat “Harry” Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:29:33 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-131172 [...] Days of Summer,” is already experiencing what may be the start of a small critical backlash, which is seemingly inevitable with successful indie comedies. Given the track record of [...] [...] Days of Summer,” is already experiencing what may be the start of a small critical backlash, which is seemingly inevitable with successful indie comedies. Given the track record of [...]

]]> By: Chazz Lyons http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-130857 Chazz Lyons Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:03:16 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-130857 Yes, Karina, "Adam" does go full-front into Weird Al territory :-) Yes, Karina, “Adam” does go full-front into Weird Al territory :-)

]]> By: Pierre http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-130855 Pierre Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:40:49 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-130855 I don't mind adherence to formula as long as it makes sense within the movie. I don't expect this to subvert my expectations but it looks like it's trying to at least shake things up a bit. Even if it'll only impress those young enough for Smiths/Joy Division references to be a big deal, at least that's something. I don’t mind adherence to formula as long as it makes sense within the movie.

I don’t expect this to subvert my expectations but it looks like it’s trying to at least shake things up a bit. Even if it’ll only impress those young enough for Smiths/Joy Division references to be a big deal, at least that’s something.

]]> By: James McNally http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-130833 James McNally Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:22:27 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-130833 I'll respectfully disagree. Sure, (500) Days is formulaic even as it's trying to be self-aware about it. But why can't we enjoy a slightly-smarter summer romantic movie with some clever film references? It can't be Pedro Costa and Lars von Trier all the time. I’ll respectfully disagree. Sure, (500) Days is formulaic even as it’s trying to be self-aware about it. But why can’t we enjoy a slightly-smarter summer romantic movie with some clever film references? It can’t be Pedro Costa and Lars von Trier all the time.

]]> By: Erin http://blog.spout.com/2009/07/16/500-days-of-summer-review/#comment-130757 Erin Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:27:24 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=15890#comment-130757 "500 uses its high concept design and totems of a romanticized long-lost counterculture (Joy Division t-shirts, conversations about The Smiths) as cover for a rendering of the rules of the romantic game that’s as deeply shallow and and ready-to-eat safe as any studio product." This is the movie in a nutshell, IMO. I saw "500 Days" at High Falls in May by a crowd that like, everywhere else, was bowled over by it. While it's not a terrible movie (at least in "500 Days", the expectations of the "ideal woman" deflate later), I'm sort of tired of seeing movies that think putting indie rock and making references to Bergman will give their movie some redeeming artistic value. Sorry, guys, but placing "Just Like Heaven" in a pivotal scene will not save your movie from being shit. Sociologist George Ritzer created the concept of "McDonaldization", wherein services and products conform to four components: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability, and Control. "500 Days" and similar films ("Garden State", "Little Miss Sunshine", "Juno", "Away We Go", etc) seem to conform to a similar paradigm, but are presented in such a way that the audience is made to believe what they're watching is "quirky", "offbeat", and special. I think I have a name for this subgenre: "The Starbucks Movie". “500 uses its high concept design and totems of a romanticized long-lost counterculture (Joy Division t-shirts, conversations about The Smiths) as cover for a rendering of the rules of the romantic game that’s as deeply shallow and and ready-to-eat safe as any studio product.”

This is the movie in a nutshell, IMO. I saw “500 Days” at High Falls in May by a crowd that like, everywhere else, was bowled over by it. While it’s not a terrible movie (at least in “500 Days”, the expectations of the “ideal woman” deflate later), I’m sort of tired of seeing movies that think putting indie rock and making references to Bergman will give their movie some redeeming artistic value. Sorry, guys, but placing “Just Like Heaven” in a pivotal scene will not save your movie from being shit.

Sociologist George Ritzer created the concept of “McDonaldization”, wherein services and products conform to four components: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability, and Control. “500 Days” and similar films (”Garden State”, “Little Miss Sunshine”, “Juno”, “Away We Go”, etc) seem to conform to a similar paradigm, but are presented in such a way that the audience is made to believe what they’re watching is “quirky”, “offbeat”, and special. I think I have a name for this subgenre: “The Starbucks Movie”.

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