I have to hand it to Whitney, she really does uncover pop treasures on her blog! I probably would have never heard this new indie flick, Nights and Weekends. And I definitely would not have known it’s a “mumblecore movie”, which is a movie without much dialogue.

“Last weekend I watched Nights and Weekends, the new indie flick from Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig. And even though it didn’t cost much to make, stars relatively unknown actors and doesn’t have a plot that’s easy to describe, I thought it was one of the best, most memorable movies I’ve seen in awhile.”

That’s basically enough to sell me, especially the part about it being inexpensive, since I make a point to check out all low budget indie features that sound remotely entertaining. These films help me come up with filmmaker tips for this blog and give me inspiration to continue to pursue my own video projects. Finding that perfect camcorder for your indie feature is only one piece of the puzzle. The key is to tell a story that people can relate to, which I think this movie succeeds so well. The filmmakers highlight all the sweet and annoying things about love and relationships. All without much dialogue and just zooming in on the interactions between the characters.

Trailer check:

Check your IFC On Demand listings for Nights and Weekends or if you’re in the UK, it’s playing the London Film Festival on Thursday, October 16th.

Pajiba posted the trailer today for Clint Eastwood’s newest Oscar bait film, Changeling. It stars a 1920-fied Angelina Jolie as a mother who loses her son and is given back an impostor child by the LAPD.

While it is always nice to see Jeffrey Donovan getting work, I’m not very excited for this historical drama. Angelina Jolie’s performance seems a bit too anachronistic. Maybe it’s the bad wig? I know Eastwood isn’t really going for historical accuracy, if I wanted that I’d tune in for one of those A&E specials about true crime. You know the ones I’m talking about, where they use re-enactments made with low budget Canon camcorders. And then they crosscut those segments with interviews from supposed experts or the great grand cousin of the victim. I wonder if there’s already one of these in the works about the real Chrisine Collins? If not, I’ve got a documentary pitch to develop this weekend!

Javier Bardem was honored by his home country of Spain yesterday. He won the country’s 2008 national film award for his “defense of the acting profession and a constant commitment to Spanish cinema.”

I was introduced to Bardem with his engaging role in Almodovar’s Live Flesh where he played a paralyzed ex-cop who has an unhealthy obsession with both his wife and ex-lover. After seeing that film, I knew that America would be seeing a whole lot of him. Thus it’s no suprise, that this latest honor coincides quite nicely with his Supporting Actor Oscar for No Country for Old Men. Bardem was truly frightening in that role.

Thus, I’m delighted by the change of tone with his latest movie, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Trailer Check:

Allen’s using ScarJo again? At least, he’s seeing the world and portraying a new version of the love triangle. But does all that stuff really matter? The inclusion of Javier will be enough to get most people to the theater. Vicky Cristina Barcelona already premiered to positive reviews at Cannes and hits US theaters on August 15th.

(News Source: Yahoo AP)