A night of cheap entertainment was in order. Currently there's $25.17 in my bank account (I'm ignoring the textbooks that still need to be bought). Joyce and I caught up over a bottle of apple cider and showed each other two movies we had to see.
Writer, Producer, Director Sofia Coppola
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My choice was The Bling Ring. The first time I saw this movie was with my former best friend. It was rated R and I felt like such a rebel seeing it when I was 17. This movie is based on the Hollywood Hills Burglaries. A string of crimes committed by teenagers where they robbed celebrity homes.
This is one of those movies that is just one of my favorites. It's a little off the beaten path. It was written and directed by Sofia Coppola (the woman behind Lost In Translation). It's an indie film. This is one of those movies that showed at Cannes to great acclaim. |
The cast is fairly female driven only with the androgynous chemistry of Marc (played by Israel Broussard) to break the estrogen. There are some great guest appearances by Paris Hilton, Leslie Mann, and Kirsten Dunst. Emma Watson also plays one of the thieves with her iconic line, “I want to rob.”
Israel Broussard
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Emma Watson
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Paris Hilton
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Leslie Mann
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Kirsten Dunst
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It's scary how accurately this movie portrays teenagers. They are fame obsessed. They have pouty mouths to have pouty mouths. They do drugs and they party. All while their parents ignore them. Sofia Coppola did an amazing job accurately portraying them. You root for them even as you know there is only one way this will end. It's a teen movie that certainly trying to say something about society. And, how we're driven.
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I shamelessly own the soundtrack. It's one of those movies where you just walk out needing the audio that played with this plot. Kanye West assisted in the song choices. It's eclectic in taste. You have the noise of Sleigh Bells “Crown on the Ground”, the M.I.A anthem “Bad Girls”, two Kanye contributions with “Power” and “All of the Lights”, a string of ratchet rap provided by Rick Ross (“9 Piece”) and 2 Chainz (“Money Machine”) and some cool R&B given to us through Frank Ocean's “Super Rich Kids”.
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Buy "9 Piece"
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Buy "Power"
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Buy "Money Machine"
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Buy "Bad Girls"
This movie is a 5 star experience. It's funny. It has a message to be taken away from it. It's 90 minutes long. Take your time out and see it.
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Joyce's choice for a movie was Almost Famous. A movie I'd know of, but was not fully aware of. I'd wanted to see it. I was not disappointed.
I thought it starred Drew Barrymore. It starred Kate Hudson. I thought this was a Janis Joplin rise and fall of an almost star with Kate Hudson overdosing in the end a la The Rose. That was very wrong. This was a 70's inspired masterpiece. Think American Hustle. |
A rock band that likes to have sex and party hard. A young journalist who hasn't been deflowered. A plane going down in the tragic tradition of Buddy Holly and Ricky Nelson. A homosexual identity revealed with a “I'm gay!” The quintessential explanation of what the seventies were. The late and great Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays a role that seems less a role, then real life.
It was nominated for four Oscars. It's practically a landmark in cinematography. Zooey Deschanel plays the role of the narrator's sister. She's giving us some Katy Perry realness and it makes me wonder how hard it would be to replace Katy with Zooey. They could be twins.
Katy Perry
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Zooey Deschanel
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This is another movie with a killer soundtrack. It would have to be when it centers around a writer from Rolling Stone and his youthful exuberance. My sister swears on this soundtrack, the way she swears on the soundtrack to Coyote Ugly. The soundtrack to Almost Famous won a grammy in it's category and features a who's who's of 70's inspiration. Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, David Bowie all make appearances. It's a soundtrack for every generation.
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If The Bling Ring didn't capture your attention and Almost Famous seems tepid. I can't help you. These movies are tens across the board and the highlight of 2000 and 2013. Get your life together.
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