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The Beach Bum (2019)
Mixed-up results
Several reviewers have complained there's not plot in this film, but there is. It's just not constructed conventionally and it's not pared down to the usual act breakdowns with a big climax and satisfying resolution. The plot, such as it is, is secondary anyway because this is more of a character study than a narrative film.
Unfortunately, it's problematic to expect a "normal" audience to relate to a bizarre character of Moondog because the supposedly great poetry he creates is not actually great. A little interesting, maybe, but certainly not Pulitzer-winning material, and not enlightening in any novel way. This is clear when Moondog recites the superior poetry of others, such as Baudelaire.
This movie could only have worked if Moondog's poetry was so incredible we'd love the author despite his numerous social and legal transgressions. That's the only way his life of random drug-induced "fun" could possibly seem justified.
That said, the film itself is perhaps unintentionally more profound than anything recited by Moondog. In short, it demonstrates how sad life is for someone who only want to have fun. Maybe not so entertaining, but an interesting result.
By the Gun (2014)
Don't say you want a realistic movie and then criticize it for not having a Hollywood gloss!
I was surprised this film was rated below 5. I can understand why the average viewer might not find this movie satisfying, because the ending is unexpectedly sad and very unlike most Hollywood mobster films in which the protagonist either survives or sacrifices himself to save another sympathetic character who escapes with a secure future. Neither outcome happens here, which is completely consistent with the realistic vibe it maintains throughout. The acting performances are all excellent and believable. Even the typecast Harvey Keitiel makes you forget all the other mobster characters he's played. In this film, he's Sal, not Harvey. The scenes with newcomer Slaine are especially engaging as his character increasingly asserts his street cred to the wavering Nick. In a way, this is almost an "art film" version of a mob story. They manage to convey character conflicts and brutal violence without glorifying the action (and with zero police presence or shootouts or cars blowing up!) In short, a refreshing albeit depressing deviation from the usual crime movie, but solid and worth a view.
Still Life (2013)
A perfect little movie
I almost didn't watch this movie because the description didn't sound very interesting, but it is utterly amazing for such a seemingly simple film. I am more than a little bit surprised that it apparently wasn't nominated for any Oscars. It was honored at over a dozen film festivals, though. Despite being about a very average and lonely man doing a largely thankless job, it subtly draws you in -- first with engaging vignettes of the man's life and then with the central detective-like quest he tasks himself with -- and leads you towards a predictable finish and then hits you with a moving twist and an even more perfect ending than what you were expecting. Be patient and you will be rewarded.
Get a Job (2016)
Entertaining Episodic Ensemble Effort
This film may have been marketed as a "hilarious" comedy, but that's not what it is. That doesn't mean it's bad, just that it needed a little help to get viewed, or, in an ironic way, to get the "job" of people wanting to see it. The great cast alone should do that (and the performances are all very good), but let's face it, there's a lot of competition for eyeballs, most of which expect to see a constant stream of outrageous situations in "R" rated big screen comedies. This is not the first film whose ad copy oversells the funny (e.g., "The Bucket List.")
"Get a Job" is not over-the-top trendy-edgy like "The Hangover" or "Bridesmaids," but even though it zips back and forth between several story lines, everything feels fairly authentic and relatable, considering. That's a sign of a well-made film, which this is.