A Liberal Arts Education Solves All Your Problems
2 years after writing and directing Happythankyoumoreplease, Josh Radnor delivers yet again a witty and efficient romance tale. This time, it is narrated to a college background. The plot focuses on the reality following a Liberal Arts education and the complex attraction between a 35-year-old and a college freshman. Radnor chooses to explore a fascinating classical-music-mixtape-themed epistolary relationship. This is especially cute in this day and age. It strikes me as a beautiful modern ode to Dangerous Liaisons
. And it's really enjoyable to witness actual handwritten human interactions in a recent movie. The whole cast is magnificent and works very well with each other. Allison Janney is her usual fantastic self, Elizabeth Olsen is a gem, Richard Jenkins is funny, and it is nice to see Elizabeth Reaser as well as Kate Burton for a little while. Even Zac Efron - and I never thought I'd say this - plays his uncommon part with no misstep. Josh Radnor knows how to pick his soundtrack which is a flawless combination of classical music and indie rock. The storyline surprises me as it doesn't turn out to be your typical Rom Com. Liberal Arts
is a very good silver-screen moment that combines a high-quality college story and a surprisingly non-mushy and unusual romance.
. And it's really enjoyable to witness actual handwritten human interactions in a recent movie. The whole cast is magnificent and works very well with each other. Allison Janney is her usual fantastic self, Elizabeth Olsen is a gem, Richard Jenkins is funny, and it is nice to see Elizabeth Reaser as well as Kate Burton for a little while. Even Zac Efron - and I never thought I'd say this - plays his uncommon part with no misstep. Josh Radnor knows how to pick his soundtrack which is a flawless combination of classical music and indie rock. The storyline surprises me as it doesn't turn out to be your typical Rom Com. Liberal Arts
is a very good silver-screen moment that combines a high-quality college story and a surprisingly non-mushy and unusual romance. 
is a road movie by Sam Mendes. A pregnant couple tries to figure out where to build their home and raise their baby. The screenplay is cleverly written by Dave Eggers and Vandela Vida and displays a subtle and intelligent sense of humor that cracks me up. The story flows on 
. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed despite the crazy friends and family members Burt and Verona (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) meet on their trip. Away We Go is a big patchwork postcard taking you to Phoenix, Montreal, or Miami. Burt and Verona symbolize the morally-perfect couple on a quest for a decent place to root their family values. I watch Away We Go like I eat a several-course meal. I pace myself and enjoy each course featuring different outstanding actors. Be prepared to start the appetizers with Catherine O'hara and Jeff Daniels and move on to Maggie Gyllenhaal or Allison Janney among others. This movie has the merit to follow a green filmmaking set of rules. It's always a plus for me. Away We Go is another Mendes-made stroke of genius.
is one of my favorite movies of all times (alright, I have hundreds of these but still). This movie is fueled with classic lines and indie acoustic music. Diablo Cody (the screenwriter) and I share a certain sense of sarcasm. I find Juno to be one of the most clever and hilarious comedies ever written. Forget about those dumb teen movies that make you want to choke yourself to death. It takes a minimum smartness level to appreciate Juno. Far be it from me to seem condescending (I swear!) but you won't find tigers in hotel rooms or crude behaviors in this movie. So if this is what makes you laugh, move along! This film is a mature comedy dealing with the dynamics of marriage, teen pregnancy and abortion. In other words, this movie offers a different view on real life topics. The cast is terrific. Ellen Page makes an absolutely perfect Juno and is the reason why 
. In addition to the young Canadian, you'll watch a plethora of talented actors in action. Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons are Juno's parents and my personal favorites apart from the pregnant teen. Michael Cera is the father of the baby-to-be and Jason Bateman is the wannabe-rockstar and future adoptive dad who is married to Jennifer Garner's control-freak character. You laugh from one end to the other. The best part might be that the plot is totally credible and could happen to anyone. The writer turns the sensitive and depressive issue of teen pregnancy into the funniest movie I've seen. And it all happens in middle-class Minnesota on a genius music background and the coolest credits artwork.