cee_dill

Pitch black comedy with a very capable cast attached and perfect narration to help with scene breaks and transitions. I was impressed with what a good fit each actor was for their character and what good use the filmmakers made with their small set. I spent the run time laughing and grimacing but without ever losing the feeling of dread attached to their situation.

To be honest, just based on the first episode, I wasn't terribly impressed beyond the obvious writing skills of Kaling herself, but it didn't take long for the show to get its sea legs and start up stories that I could really invest in.

The abilities of the cast are apparent once their characters form their own strong identities and it's always a joy to see Beth Grant doing comedy. An impressive array of guest stars also helps.

And Mindy herself is one of my favorite sitcom characters to come along in the past couple of years. Narcissistic, flawed, but ultimately with a good heart and willing to do the right thing. Not above embarrassing scenes or having jokes made at her expense, but never losing sight of what makes the character Mindy Lahiri, for better or for worse.

I'm excited it got renewed and look forward to the next season.

I started following two shows featuring actresses of whom I'm a fan. Of the two of them, New Girl is the one that's struggling.

In theory it should hold up well. Decent actors, a leading lady I'm fond of and a nice setting, but unfortunately this one stumbles a bit because they took a wrong turn at character development and wandered instead into "How can we REALLY drive home that this character is adorable and geeky and you should love her?" The thing is, they don't have to try so hard: Deschanel IS adorable and easy to love. You can achieve that without having scenes where she wears a flattering sundress every single day, but thinks she has nothing to wear but overalls for a date. She can retain some childlike innocence without being unable to say the word "penis". The rest of the cast seems talented enough, but essentially they are mainly a prop for the lead character to interact with (or exchange meaningful glances with in the case of Jake Johnson).

I'm going to try to hang in for a bit longer, but at the end of the day, I can wear my own cardigan and sing a song and reserve my TV time for shows that better hold my interest.

I don't frequently repeat movies, but I've found that this is one that I can watch more than once and still experience the same highs and lows that I did the first time.

You get to watch two stories in this enjoyable little offering, the actual story of Lily and Jarrod and a charming animated movie that reflects what's happening.

It's a bit jarring when you first see it. As a movie-goer you're accustomed to standard-issue attractive faces and bodies, spunky heroines and their boyishly charming love interests. By contrast, quiet, ground-down Lily and Jarrod with his complete lack of self-awareness take some getting used to, but they are not without things to like about them. And watching Lily blossom and grow more confident, not because of Jarrod, but because she's learning to like herself, is wonderfully inspiring.

A difficult movie to start, but an easy movie to love, a little awkward, but able to be settled into quickly. Like the characters themselves, if you give it a chance, you're almost guaranteed to love it.

I'm a bit late to the party on this show, but am enjoying it quite a lot nonetheless. I thought the concept sounded interesting (if slightly reminiscent of the "Fables" comic books, though the show takes things in an entirely different direction) and finally gave it a go on Netflix.

For anyone who has watched Lost it should come as no surprise that it's a well-written drama with many, many characters all with their own back- story and a lot of questions. I also give them extremely high marks for casting, as every actor on the show seems to be a powerful performer in some way or other.

There were a few episodes that seemed oddly-paced or not as resonant as others, but overall an excellent first season and I'm excited to start the next one.

I was lucky enough to watch a screening of this film at the Magnolia Film Festival in Mississippi and thought it was extremely powerful. Very well made short film dealing with letting go and the shifting of the caretaker role from parent to child. The acting was excellent and told volumes with the minimal dialogue. Congratulations to the writer for not saying too much or too little. Some feelings are bigger than what you have words for and the things they don't say to each other could break the heart. Beautiful muted colors and light came together to paint a wonderful and deeply moving picture. I was grateful for that last walk with the two characters. Everyone involved should be proud.

Sometimes it seems difficult for filmmakers to tell a straightforward story without a hint of irony, but this movie does that and does it very well.

Because the story itself is very simple, the directing, cinematography and acting have to do a lot of the heavy lifting, but Dan Masucci obviously has the right eye and assembled the correct cast to pull it off. The actors never seem to be reading from a page and obviously have a strong grasp of their characters. The final letter written by the mother was so tenderly written and well delivered that I choked up. And little touches like seeing fireworks light up James's face from above while explosions light up the clouds from underneath as his mother flies over really add up to a superb film.

Congratulations for not hiding a beautiful sentiment behind gimmicks. I look forward to more.

I was lucky enough to see this movie once at the Magnolia film festival, and again in Tupelo, and after my second viewing, I had to comment.

This is an absolutely wonderful short film with an excellent leading actor. It is emotional without being over the top or sappy, and funny without being ridiculous. The scenes in gym class are as hilarious as Ben's "breakdown" scene is painful. All the actors were well-cast and played their characters very well.

A very enjoyable film that is just as good the second time as the first.

One of the nagging worries that I have any time that I sit down to watch a feature-length independent film is that it will drag its feet or not catch my interest until it's already half-finished.

Pale Blue Moon is that odd film that completely avoids that. From the moment that Simon Applewhite shakily begins to explain the Morgon (moon-dwelling people) invasion, to the marvelous ending (which I won't give away), I was riveted. Excellent writing, wonderful direction, and incredible performances.

Most noteworth is Ice Mrozek as Simon Applewhite. He is both endearing and annoying in his role and I honestly can't imagine any big names in Hollywood doing a better job. Remarkable and touching. Johnny Sneed is given the somewhat difficult job of playing straight man John Lefsburg opposite Mrozek's Simon, and manages to pull this off without being completely overshadowed.

The storyline, as stated before, catches your interest quickly and doesn't release it until the credits role. By the middle of the movie, I was completely undecided on who was sane and who was crazy. This was an excellent film all around and Mark Hosack is to be congratulated. Possibly thanked for a much more enjoyable cinematic experience than I've had in quite some time.