Tag: Greta Gerwig

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Lady Bird

by MCDave

Thanks to countless collaborations with acclaimed indie filmmaker Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig has cemented her standing as a formidable lead actress in contemporary Hollywood. And even after a steadily climbing career inexplicably found her on the outside looking in at this past Oscars ceremony, where her work in Mike Mills’ 20th Century Women was actually one of the year’s strongest performances despite the snub, Academy voters will have a difficult time turning a blind eye to Gerwig’s beloved festival darling, Lady Bird. This indie treat combines the witty charm of Gerwig’s screenplay with a familiar Oscar player, Brooklyn star Saoirse Ronan.

The self-nicknamed “Lady Bird” (Ronan) wants nothing more than to escape her Northern California roots by getting into an east coast college despite her mom’s (Laurie Metcalf) strongest efforts to keep her local. And as Lady Bird navigates through senior year with her best and only friend, Julie (Beanie Feldstein), she encounters many firsts that slowly shape her her transition into adulthood.

Sadly, if you’ve seen Lady Bird‘s official trailer then you’ve seen many of the films most memorable moments. But still, Gerwig’s endearing script miraculously finds ways of triggering familiarity to our own teenage years, full of awkwardness and immaturity that we’ve all encountered in some shape or form. Saoirse continues to demonstrate her acting prowess by channeling her inner irrational self, without a filter and desperate to develop a sense of self. Lady Bird makes for such an interesting character because she’s so relatable, a testament to Gerwig’s crafty writing and Ronan’s ability to bring the title character to life. Equally as impressive as Ronan’s stout onscreen performance is the reemergence of Roseanne co-star, Laure Metcalf. Playing Lady Bird’s combative mother, Metcalf brings a natural fluidity to the role and their meticulously crafted co-dependence proves a marvelous component to the film. Lady Bird moves well with its brisk nearly 90-minute running time, but it also lacks a big emotional punch to the gut with its meandering resolution. Gerwig’s effort is certainly a strong one and seems primed to be an Oscar player as the year comes to a close, but Lady Bird also falls short of greatness in many regards.

GRADE: 4/5

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SXSW Movie Reviews: Gemini

by MCDave

Lola Kirke first caught my eye in Noah Baumbach’s 2015 indie-comedy, Mistress America. Even standing alongside the versatile indie starlet, Greta Gerwig, from scene to scene, Kirke’s performance jumps off the screen and immediately commands your attention. The same can be said for her latest work in Aaron Katz’s new L.A. mystery, Gemini, which completely reaffirms that Lola Kirke is an emerging star.

Jill (Kirke) is a personal assistant and best friend to her famed Hollywood-celebrity boss, Heather Anderson (Zoe Kravitz). Throughout the course of the day, Heather’s odd behavior ultimately makes mortal enemies out of her now ex-boyfriend, and a filmmaker whom she leaves hanging out to dry. Therefore, when Jill returns to the actress’ home the next day and finds her dead body on the floor, she becomes the lead detective’s (John Cho) number one suspect in a sea of possible murderers, prompting her to manipulate her appearance and dig deeper into the mystery herself.

Aaron Katz delivers another fine piece of filmmaking with his latest feature, Gemini. Katz’s direction continues to embolden itself with every subsequent project. It’s been an absolute pleasure to watch his progression as both a writer and filmmaker, which culminates into this new career-best effort thanks to brilliant performances and a clever screenplay that help propel his overall vision. Leading star Lola Kirke possesses a hypnotic ability as a performer, one that takes you on her chaotic journey through Katz’s smartly written murder mystery. Zoe Kravitz also provides an exceptional supporting turn by molding a complex and conflicted character. Gemini swiftly navigates through a bleak Los Angeles backdrop, disjoint from all the glamour and glitz of Tinsel Town, in order to tell a unique story. And despite the film’s mildly unsatisfying finale which leaves a little to be desired, this twist-filled “whodunit” tale still proves to be completely worth the ride.

GRADE: 4/5

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