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Thread: Half Nelson

  1. #1
    Kam
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    Half Nelson

    This movie is just in limited release in New York (2 theaters) and i dont think has even openned in LA yet, but if you are able to see it, i would highly reccomend this movie. I don't think it will ever get a wide release, but hopefully will expand a little further than just 2 theaters (it only made 54k over the weekend, but averaged 27k/theater, Talladega made 23mill but only averaged 6k/theater) It's not for everyone, but if you like "art house" movies, that treat film as an artform, than this story absolutely falls into that category. Its not mindless entertainment, its not a popcorn cheesy summer check your brain at the door movie, but its not a big preachy melodramatic snoozefest either, it is just a brilliantly told story. So far, its easily the best movie of the year for me and Ryan Gosling (from The Notebook) is just phenomenal in how effortless he makes his performance look. And Frank (the guy who played shawrelle in million dollar baby), who most probably won't get nominated, was really kickass in a supporting role.
    The story follows a history teacher/ girl's basketball coach at a middleschool in brooklyn and one of his students/athletes who accidentally walks in on him smoking crack in the bathroom after a game and the strange friendship that develops between them. This had the potential to be filled with cliche after cliche and "huge-movie-moment" after moment, but instead its very real. maybe even too real for some people as the "big" ending is anything but. it's one of those movies that doesn't examine a huge character arc of zero to hero, but instead, looks at a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry small nudge in these two characters' lives and yet how important that nudge is.
    So.. i guess the only way to vote for movies being made with a little more thought and effort versus thrown together with as many explosions as 200mill can buy, is to use your wallet and if you get the chance to do so, i'd say pick Half Nelson over anything else out there.

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  2. #2
    Can a crooner get a gig? dean_martin's Avatar
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    Hasn't this appeared on IFC? I saw a film on IFC with a similar storyline. Single mom has 2 kids - one is a middle school aged girl who discovers her teacher smoking crack. I thought it was a "short" film.

  3. #3
    Kam
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    actually it was a short! you probably saw the short film that got into sundance and got this director a deal to turn it into a feature.
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  4. #4
    Can a crooner get a gig? dean_martin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kam
    actually it was a short! you probably saw the short film that got into sundance and got this director a deal to turn it into a feature.
    I may have seen it on the Sundance channel instead of IFC. It drew me in because it was simply a slice of life story told matter of factly. I was amazed at the tension it created with very little action. For example, seeing the kids out in the big city on their own just riding their bikes or playing in the park made me anticipate something bad happening.

    I'll make a note to self to be on the lookout for the full feature.

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