Movie Review: IFC Film's City Of Gold

City of Gold
Director: Patricia Riggen
Writers: Patricia Riggen
Starring: Jonathan Gold, Allen Salkin
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for thematic material, including accident and medical images
Official Socials: Facebook | Twitter | IMDb
Hashtag:  #CityofGold

In this richly penetrating documentary odyssey, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us a Los Angeles where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America. Combing through colorful neighborhoods in his green pickup truck, Gold is sniffing out his next strip-mall discovery—whether Oaxacan grasshopper soup, hand-cut tonkotsu ramen, or a particularly unctuous pad see ew. As piping-hot platters are served up, so are stories of immigrants whose secret family recipes are like sacred offerings pledged for the opportunity to build their American Dream. With eternal curiosity, razor-sharp intellect, and existential longing, Gold is a culinary geographer taking us where no critic has gone before.

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There are so many things about this film that I loved. First off I like to think of myself as a foodie. Not a critic in anyway but I do love food. And I tend to love out there things. I'm picky too - so I could be nothing like Jonathan Gold. But watching this film made me and my love for food very happy and I now have a list of places I want to try the next time I'm in LA.

As an aspiring filmmaker this brings me back to my schooling. When I was first starting out I swear every.single.project was based on food/restaurants. This is because it's an easy subject to get a variety of shots for. So watching this made me remember back when I was in school. Although I would've loved to have made something of this caliber, but it made me reminisce at least.

I love LA. I want to live in LA at some point in my life. That is truly where my heart is. And this film shows you - although mostly the restaurants - basically the reason why I love LA. It's so beautiful, it's a city that has it's own heartbeat. And if you can't see that from this film then I suggest you  re-watch it. City Of Gold shows you all the different cultures that fill LA, all of the different lifestyles that go on. And that is what draws me to LA - apart for the obvious aspiring filmmaker wants to be in LA aspect of it.

Lastly. This movie is based on a critic. Seeing as I am a book reviewer/movie reviewer for this blog it hit at home, that's for sure. There's a part of the film that talks about critics and yelpers. Who's who and it made me wonder if there are author's/filmmaker's out there who aren't as appreciative of my reviews as I assume that they are. While I would like to think that everyone absolutely loves my thoughts on everything I read and watch I know that, that's probably not the case. And I'm okay with that. But for that whole section of the film I was definitely just sitting there going whoa...am I the critic or the yelper?

I really enjoyed this movie. If you love food, you should watch it. If you love LA, or even if you haven't been before, watch this movie. And if you are a critic I feel that this would be a good film for you. I have a new respect for food critics - and I feel like I'm going to be following Jonathan Gold and his thoughts on restaurants from now on.

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#Boston Win Passes to Sundance Select Film #CityofGold 3/16!

City of Gold
Director: Patricia Riggen
Writers: Patricia Riggen
Starring: Jonathan Gold, Allen Salkin
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for thematic material, including accident and medical images
Official Socials: Facebook | IMDb
Hashtag:  #CityofGold

In this richly penetrating documentary odyssey, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us a Los Angeles where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America. Combing through colorful neighborhoods in his green pickup truck, Gold is sniffing out his next strip-mall discovery—whether Oaxacan grasshopper soup, hand-cut tonkotsu ramen, or a particularly unctuous pad see ew. As piping-hot platters are served up, so are stories of immigrants whose secret family recipes are like sacred offerings pledged for the opportunity to build their American Dream. With eternal curiosity, razor-sharp intellect, and existential longing, Gold is a culinary geographer taking us where no critic has gone before.

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YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND A SPECIAL SCREENING OF THE SUNDANCE SELECTS FILM CITY OF GOLD

Click the movie poster to enter!

LOCATION:

Boston, MA 02111

TIME AND DATE:

3/16/2016
07:00 PM

(Have your passes ready to show at the door)

These tickets are on a first come, first serve not guaranteed basis. Arrive early to secure your seats.

Movie Review: 45 Years

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45 Years

Director: Andrew Haigh

Writers: David Constantine and Andrew Haigh

Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James, and Dolly Wells

MPAA Rating: Rated R for language and brief sexuality

Official Sites: Website | Facebook | Twitter | IMDb

While preparing for their 45th anniversary, Kate and Geoff’s marriage is shaken with a discovery that calls into question the life they’ve built together. Screen legends Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay won Best Actress & Best Actor at the Berlinale for this emotional tour-de-force from acclaimed director Andrew Haigh (Weekend).

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A married couple who plan on celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary hit a rough patch. While most couples have rough patches, they feel as if this one might be too much. Will their love will out - or will this be the last straw?

I went into this not completely sure what I was going to get. I love independent films, they tend to not be as flashy as most films. And this movie shows that. It's basic, yet captivating. There is barely any background music within this whole film, which to me makes audiences more enraptured in the story - it makes you pay more attention. Plus then it feels as if you are a part of the story. Background music is rare in our own lives, and technically there really isn't any background music. And this film makes use of that. You mainly on hear ambient sounds; sounds that we hear daily, cars, birds, wind, dishes clanking, etc.

I would say though that this is a little bit of a sad film. We follow the wife, Kate, in her side of the story. And we follow her emotions - which end up having a sad turn. We're not sure if her and Jeff have a happy marriage, but it is assumed that they do. And then when they receive the news of Jeff's ex-girlfriend being found dead it turns their world upside down. Kate's more so than Jeff's. She's unsure if she was ever really good enough for Jeff - she's sure she was, but she's not sure that he knew that.

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Movie Review: Me & Earl & The Dying Girl

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Me & Earl & The Dying Girl

Release Day: June 12th 2015
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Writer: Jesse Andrews
Main Cast: Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, Olivia Cooke
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sexual content, drug material, language and some thematic elements)
Genres: Drama
Running Time: 1 hr. 44 min.

Official Sites: Web | Facebook | IMDb

High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.

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It should be known that I went into Me & Earl & The Dying Girl with very little knowledge about what the film was actually about. The only thing I did know was that by the end of everything I was going to be bawling my eyes out. I mean come on with a title like that tissue should already come with your ticket. I'm vaguely going to go into the movie only because I want you to have the same experience I did. I obviously heard all the hype around it when it first got screen at Sundance and after winning the Grand Jury Prize I knew it was a must watch for me.

So let’s break down the title. The “Me” is Greg (Thomas Mann), an awkward senior just trying to go on with his life under the radar in school . “Earl” (R.J. Cyler) is Greg’s co-worker, not his friend. He’s co-worker. They hang out together watching old films, trying Greg's dads odd food, as well as making films of their own. The “Dying Girl” is Rachel (Olivia Cooke), whom Greg vaguely knows from school. When Greg’s mother (Connie Britton) happens to find out that Rachel has been diagnosed with cancer, she forces him to spend time with her. What comes out of this story is truly amazing. Me & Earl & The Dying Girl is sure to become a cult classic.

The one thing I was not expecting when I went in to watch Me & Earl & The Dying Girl was to laugh so much. It felt so much more light hearted and the one liners were so on point. It throws things at you and the way we get to see it from Greg’s point of view makes it that much better. Thomas Mann does a stupendous job as the incredibly awkward Greg. Mann shows real and raw emotions and I absolutely love the way everything was handled. R.J. Cyler as Earl steals the show for me. I absolutely loved every scene he was in. The few short scenes we did get with the trio were probably my favorite. Cooke as Rachel was brilliant. It's so hard to put into words what it is that made this cast stand out so much. You can easily relate to the characters and the way it was filmed makes you feel like you are part of the story.

Me & Earl & The Dying Girl is not your typical YA to movie we've come accustomed to. Not only are we switching things up by having the story told by a guy’s point of view, but this is also the first film that I’ve seen not take the boy meets girl and falls instantly in love with her approach. No, this is far from that. Me & Earl & The Dying Girl is a love letter to the old classic films, a story of the value of friendship and also what it means to really open up. I can’t recommend this film enough!

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