It is the curse of our era that movies can’t just be about stuff anymore. Even the simplest stories are gussied up with aesthetic gimmickry. I’m not talking about 3D, or Sam Worthington, either. I’m talking about hand-drawn titles, papercraft animation sequences, and freeze-frame images of dogs wearing football helmets. In some ways I think it is an emotional dishonesty. Why can’t we just talk about what we want to talk about without turning it into a music video? (Of course, many of today’s movie directors got their start in music videos no duh, including Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, David Fincher, McG [ugh, McG]. Oh, and Mike Mills, who wrote and directed this movie.) Then again, it is also a blessing of our era to be a part of our era, and so regardless of any skepticism (also a mark of our era, incidentally) that we might have about the aesthetic distractions from genuine storytelling, it’s impossible not to find them so appealing. What I’m trying to say is fuck you Garden State but also PUT THIS MOVIE IN MY EYES!

Comments (61)
  1. I will NOT apologize for liking Garden State. It was good, damnit!

  2. She’s pretty
    -Steve Winwood on this movie.

  3. Gabe, movies are aesthetic gimmickiry, when have they ever been honest portrayals of anything?

  4. Dear this movie, Please don’t A Life Less Ordinary me. XOXO

  5. Ewan – Be Careful. I hear your new girlfriend is a bit of a pyromaniac:

  6. Wow! I really want to see this movie. That’s all.

  7. This trailer reminds me a lot of the trailer for The Beaver. You know, minus the part where I hate everything about it and basically want to go on a killing spree.

  8. Guys, the bassist for R.E.M. did not make this movie, different Mike Mills, I asked Jeeves

  9. This will one day go down in history as one of the most “Stuff White People Like” movies of all time.

  10. It will be the voiceover. It will let us down. It always does.
    P.S. That is why they call it “the voice of God.”

    • There is a special place in hell for screenwriters/directors who rely on voiceovers to ruin their films. Except for Charlie Kaufman. Who specifically addressed it in Adaptation.

  11. Netflix Queue, please welcome, “Beginners.” “Beginners,” this is the rest of my Netfllix Queue.

    Now don’t be upset, “The Social Network,” but “Beginners” is taking your spot at first chair. I know, I know, you’ve been waiting so long. But you don’t have a subtitled dog, so, please move down to #2, okay? Thanks everyone!

  12. The only thing I like about this trailer is the song at the end.

  13. For the first 30 seconds of the trailer it maybe looked like this movie was just going to be about Ewan McGregor hanging out with a cute dog. I admit I’m mildly disappointed this isn’t true.

  14. After “I Love You, Phillip Morris,” I will see anything Ewan (first name basis) is in for the rest of his or my life. Also, I’m a sucker for: old people, old photographs, dogs, accents, late-in-life coming out stories, father-child relationships, fireworks, drawings. So. Doomed from the start.

    • I was just about to say that this trailer reminded me of the fact that I’ve yet to see that movie! Based on your comment I’d take it that you did in fact enjoy “I Love You, Phillip Morris”?

      • Yes. I did. Don’t read up about it on the internet before going, though–that ruined some bits for me. Unless you hate surprises. Then by all means, internet it up. But yeah, his performance was just, I don’t even know…amazing. Their chemistry together was just great, and it presented an unconventional and interesting queer story within the large story, rather than the main plot being, “Look! We’re gay!” (I’m looking at you, “The Kids Are All Right.”)

    • Also, anything that uses “Stardust” as a score.

  15. That looks charming, and only partly because of the pretty lady. Good Friday* post.

    *not THAT Good Friday

  16. Yet another missed opportunity for the Birdie lobby.

    You guys are slacking!

  17. Great Trailer!

  18. Much like Gabe, I want this movie inside me.

  19. Here we are, more than 30 comments down, in what I like to call the “Late Comment Zone”. Typically anything written below this line will be ignored as more new content has filed in above it. It’s the Last Call with Carson Daily of commenting.

    Classic Late Comment Zone right here.

  20. No no no and just no! And here is why. Obviously this movie was originally titled Extremely Gay and Incredibly Dying Gay Dad — BECAUSE IF GAYS ARE GOOD FOR ANYTHING IT IS DYING SO STRAIGHT PEOPLE CAN LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT LIFE WHILE CRUISING AROUND IN THEIR ANACHRONISTICALLY VINTAGE VOLVOS [but weirdly such a move is within the twee zeitgeist of 2003]. And, so, OK, if we can get past that, then also remember 2003? Friendster and Iraq? Thank god that’s all behind us. But also, these wonderfully arrested man/woman-childs are just living in these pretty nice places even though they can barely function and have to make childlike drawings to come to terms with past relationships and FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK and speaking of girlfriends was Greta Gerwig too busy shooting No Strings Attached 2?????????? I can’t even write any more. Just reply with the obligatory you mad jpeg and let’s call it a day.

  21. people always tell me my dog should be in the movies. he is like this dog, but cuter. see?

  22. It’s been difficult for me to see Christopher Plummer as anything other than the bad guy from Dreamscape, since that movie traumatized me so much as a kid. As far I’m concerned, he couldn’t get torn apart by snakemen fast enough, gay or not.

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