A film that inspires these type of films is High Fidelity by Stephen Frears. This is the film I instantly thought of, along with Sideways by Alexander Payne which was mentioned.
No film meets the definitions discussed better than last year’s The Fundamentals of Caring – hits every button. So much so I’m not convinced it’s not a parody.
Have to chime in here with a correction: the Little Miss Sunshine team of Dayton & Faris did not direct Can’t Hardly Wait. That was directed by Elfont & Kaplan, who went on to make the wonderful Josie and the Pussycats and unfortunately no feature films since. Damn you, directors’ jail.
I also find it odd that all three of you kept saying, “I don’t know if this fits,” when talking about movies you happen to like. Perhaps the takeaway from this is that the “indie-lite” or “quirky” label is not necessarily a pejorative term. Like any other genre or style of film, there are a lot of bad ones and a few good ones that rise to the top. Of course, I’m someone who often enjoys these types of movies (and as such found it a little hard to listen to this episode), so what do I know?
I preface this with I never comment on podcasts but this was so terrible I had to. Genuinely pretentious and dismissive of others. These guys come off as if they believe their geniuses and everyone who doesn’t share their opinion is brain-dead, and I agree with almost everything they said. This podcast is unbearable.
Your point being? They are geniuses… But seriously, that’s what makes the show so great. Were not Siskel and Ebert sure of their opinions and not afraid to come across as slightly pretentious sometimes? That’s what makes film criticism so fun to engage in. If you disagree, then react just as passionately with your own opinions.
I can’t say Max Mayer’s “Adam” is a good movie, but it is better than expected (if didactic), and doesn’t treat Adam’s condition in that “too pure for this world” sense. It causes problems for him, and the film is partly about him learning to deal with those problems himself once his father dies. I don’t recommend actually watching the movie to verify for yourself though.
The “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” was indeed spawned in the review of Elizabethtown.
A film that inspires these type of films is High Fidelity by Stephen Frears. This is the film I instantly thought of, along with Sideways by Alexander Payne which was mentioned.
Good call. I never liked High Fidelity.
– David
The one that leaps to mind for me, which I don’t think you guys mentioned, is Sam mendes’ “away we go.” Loathe this movie
This was on my list, as were several others, but I didn’t mention it. But I think it definitely counts.
-Tyler
With Rian Johnson making the leap into the Star Wars franchise, would Brick or Brothers Bloom be considered for this indie-lite tag?
Brick is too good. Maybe Brothers Bloom counts, though.
– David
Also he made Looper, which is more of a bridge between his early work and Star Wars.
No film meets the definitions discussed better than last year’s The Fundamentals of Caring – hits every button. So much so I’m not convinced it’s not a parody.
Have to chime in here with a correction: the Little Miss Sunshine team of Dayton & Faris did not direct Can’t Hardly Wait. That was directed by Elfont & Kaplan, who went on to make the wonderful Josie and the Pussycats and unfortunately no feature films since. Damn you, directors’ jail.
I also find it odd that all three of you kept saying, “I don’t know if this fits,” when talking about movies you happen to like. Perhaps the takeaway from this is that the “indie-lite” or “quirky” label is not necessarily a pejorative term. Like any other genre or style of film, there are a lot of bad ones and a few good ones that rise to the top. Of course, I’m someone who often enjoys these types of movies (and as such found it a little hard to listen to this episode), so what do I know?
I hate these movies and completely agree.
Yeah, major gaffe on my part confusing Dayton and Faris with Elfont and Kaplan. Mea culpa.
– David
I kept hoping you would catch it yourself, because I know how much you love Josie and the Pussycats.
I preface this with I never comment on podcasts but this was so terrible I had to. Genuinely pretentious and dismissive of others. These guys come off as if they believe their geniuses and everyone who doesn’t share their opinion is brain-dead, and I agree with almost everything they said. This podcast is unbearable.
Hm. And here I thought that we’d been way more humble than I’d expected us to be. Oh well. Thanks for listening!
-Tyler
We make it a point to always believe our geniuses.
– David
Your point being? They are geniuses… But seriously, that’s what makes the show so great. Were not Siskel and Ebert sure of their opinions and not afraid to come across as slightly pretentious sometimes? That’s what makes film criticism so fun to engage in. If you disagree, then react just as passionately with your own opinions.
I can’t say Max Mayer’s “Adam” is a good movie, but it is better than expected (if didactic), and doesn’t treat Adam’s condition in that “too pure for this world” sense. It causes problems for him, and the film is partly about him learning to deal with those problems himself once his father dies. I don’t recommend actually watching the movie to verify for yourself though.
Another movie with an indie-lite approach to mental illness that David disliked but didn’t get referenced above is Rob Spera’s “The Sweet Life”.