Move Sunday: Winter's Bone

Image from here

I have to admit that the people and places in this movie are more familiar to me than is really comfortable. I had not-distant-enough relatives in Forsyth, Missouri, where the film was made, and a significant fraction of my extended family are scattered around the surrounding area. And there was a lot I recognized, in type if not in particular.

Winter's Bone is the story of a young woman (played by Jennifer Lawrence) whose meth-cooking father has put up their homestead for his bond. When it looks like he may not show up for his court date, she has to go find him, all the while caring for her two younger siblings and crazy mother.

There are several things I like about this movie. For one thing, it's refreshing to see a contemporary story populated entirely by people for whom neither the S&P 500 nor E! television have the least relevance. The dead simplicity of these characters and their lives is something that's worth noting, especially when we consider how much of our population might be represented by the characters in this film. And the film at least attempts to portray this small world without portraying the characters as stupid or unimportant.

Winter's Bone also features an interesting cast of characters, despite the cultural homogeneity of the people in the film. And it manages to stay surprising, in spite of a straightforward plot. Since it's an independent film, the local people and actual locations add to the authenticity.  The production values were quite good, especially for an independent film. The DVD edition includes an extensive "making of" segment that illustrates some of the challenges they faced.

The film does have a little too much of the Walking Tall style hillbilly mafia to ring 100% true for me. But just a touch. And some of the dialogue is a little over the top. But overall, it's a well-told and personal story, and a very engaging drama. I wouldn't exactly call it the feel-good movie of the year, but it's definitely a drama worth watching.

Just when you thought they couldn't get nerdier

I went to a popular retail electronics outlet the other day to a pick up another of the tablet computers that we have been using extensively in our research at work. I've always had mixed feelings about this particular store, not least because I have issues with customer support people who refer to themselves as geniuses. I used to have a job like that, and believe me, nobody there was a genius.

Anyway, I do admire the way that this particular company can make geek toys chic, and I'm consistently amazed at the things that become cool simply by bearing the logo. So I was only a little surprised when they delivered my new purchase in a bag that doubles as a backpack.

The best way to carry all your camping electronics

Don't be surprised if you see these things all over the place pretty soon. But of course the new ones will be half the size and have a camera.

Movie Sunday: The Station Agent

Image from here

By now you've probably realized that I have a soft spot for quiet little movies, and they don't get much smaller and quieter than Thomas McCarthy's The Station Agent. A small story, told in a small place with a small cast, it reminds me of a hand-painted postcard. I think McCarthy is a much better filmmaker than actor, having also directed The Visitor, and directed the just released Win Win, which I really look forward to seeing.

The Station Agent provided a breakout role for Peter Dinklage playing Finbar McBride, a solitary hobby store employee who loses his job and simultaneously inherits a tiny abandoned train station in rural New Jersey.  Though looking forward to living in isolation, McBride is beset -- or befriended, depending on your point of view -- by the local denizens. The ensemble includes Bobby Cannavale, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Raven Goodwin, Joe Lo Truglio, John Slattery, Richard Kind, and Paul Benjamin.

This film is both comedy and drama, with a heart that is tender and sad. Like The Visitor -- and I suspect Win Win -- The Station Agent explores the path from isolation to community, and the hazards inherent in the journey. It's a wonderful little film. Watch it. You'll like it.