New Movies Out This Week-8/1

The Chicago based filmmaker Joe Swanberg has made his name on cheap, low budget comedies simply about relatable characters having a conversation. This may seem like not much to withhold through the span of a feature film however Swanberg makes his films well paced, highly entertaining, and pleasantly enjoyable. Sure his techniques may be basic and at times too slight, but his laid back, relaxed style of directing becomes increasingly more well fit to the characters in his films. Last year Swanberg reached his creative and most ambitious peak to date with Drinking Buddies and even though his follow-up Happy Christmas isn't quite as successful, his voice is still refreshing and concisely well used. Swanberg's creative use of improvisational dialogue and catchy indie pop songs make for a smart and clever structure that feels well adjusted to the film's tone and style. The plot, like many of Swanberg's films deals with human relationships however the themes of his films have been increasingly more well fleshed out and developed through the coarse of his career and Happy Christmas is an essential example of the evolution of Swanberg's craft as a filmmaker. Swanberg has often been called a pioneer of the genre of Mumblecore, and I'd say that he's evolved past what's expected of him and has instead created something deeper and more profound then the growing number of Mumblecore cliches. At this point in Swanberg's ever-expanding career as a filmmaker, he's at last sharpening his abilities as a director and has developed the skill to write characters as interesting and complex as people we know ourselves. It will be exciting to see where Swanberg's career goes next, and Happy Christmas is an excellent reminder that Swanberg is a rare discovery, a filmmaker working in the genre of romantic comedies who actually cares about building character development and creating a formidable structure to a film's plot.

Along all of the big, loud, summer blockbusters out there this year, one of the most anticipated is Marvel's long-awaited Guardians of the Galaxy. Chris Pratt, the lovable goofball in Parks and Recreation, got super in-fit for his role in this over the top, ultimately silly production and even though he tries to bring something unique and fun to his role the movie doesn't stay entertaining for long due to corny plot lines and overused CGI effects. For fanboys of this genre they will eat this up like candy but I found myself wanting more from this movie. I was craving more character development and thoughtful dialogue which is incredibly hard to find in a superhero film. The action sequences soon become numbing and even if the effects seem well used, I felt myself caring less and less about what happened to the characters.

James Brown was one of the greatest funk musicians in the history of music and of course, Hollywood has to make a glossy, big budget biopic of the artist. Tate Taylor, the director of the Oscar-winning hit The Help, directs this film in a safe, respectful manner that never feels risky or original enough. The movie basically just gives you a simple rundown of James Brown's life and career, starting with his childhood to his rise to fame and stardom. Chadwick Boseman plays Brown with conviction and intelligence even if the film's screenplay is family-friendly and dull. You may have seen Boseman play the baseball legend Jackie Robinson in 42 last year which was fine but I wanted to see Boseman stretch his legs as an actor a bit, see him try something bold and daring. His lead role in Get on Up isn't it. He plays the role pretty well but the film's by the numbers structure is ultimately boring. James Brown deserves a better, more exciting biopic than this.