"Cake"

It has taken me two days to process this film.
This is the story of a woman by the name of Claire. Claire is in chronic physical and psychic pain as a result of a car accident that claimed the life of her five-year-old son. To complicate matters further, Claire has become physically and emotionally dependant on opiate pain medication. Claire is an addict. She is played brilliantly by Jennifer Aniston. Be warned: This is not your "Friends" Jennifer Aniston. This is your "The Good Girl" Jennifer Aniston. She is raw, and vulnerable, and angry. She presents with suicidal ideation while grasping onto life as it crumbles around her. She embodies the life of an addict with all of it's frustrations and obstacles.
Holding Claire up throughout the film is the gifted Adriana Barraza as her maid and caregiver. She, by turns, saves Claire's life and continues to stoke the fire of the addiction. Under the word "co-dependant" in the dictionary is a photograph of this character.
Rounding out the cast are Felicty Huffman as a counselor in Claire's pain management group, Anna Kendrick as the ghost of a woman in the pain management group who killed herself, Sam Worthington as the dead woman's widower, Chris Messina as Claire's heartbroken ex-husband, an William H. Macy as the equally grief-stricken man who caused Claire's car accident.
This movie would be a brutal roller-coaster ride for anyone, but for a recovering pill addict it was something more. Rather than trigger my cravings, it made me grateful to not have to live like that anymore. It made me grateful to be able to work as a counselor and to be there for the addict who still suffers. It made me grateful for my life.
If you choose to take this ride, please know that the end is so worth the journey. It is incredibly hopeful. I regret not a minute of the excursion.

"Birdman"

When we rented the DVD of this movie last night, we asked the video store owner if he had enjoyed it. He told us that when he watches movies he just wants to have the actors make him believe in the story they are telling. He has no desire to know what is going on behind the scenes.

Well, if you, too, are the type of person who does not wish to see the puppet strings, this movie is not for you. However, if you are a theatre geek/comic book connoisseur/human nature observer, then please by all means watch this film!

The story line is original, fresh, and moving. The acting is impeccable. Every performance is memorable, but Michael Keaton especially  embraces the character of Riggin, with all of his beautiful flaws. Keaton was not afraid to show himself as the aging actor he is, and he was equally unafraid to embody the flaws of an actors ego. He shows us that to be human is to be a rich tapestry of good and bad alike.

Edward Norton proves once again what an amazing actor he is. This is his best work since "Fight Club". Just like his character in "Primal Fear" he is able to convincingly wear two faces, and he makes us want to see more of both.

Emma Stone is far and away my favorite young actress (to be fair, she shares this honor with Jennifer Lawrence), and in this film she proves why this is so. As an addict just out of rehab, struggling with her demons and trying to navigate the dysfunctional worlds of the theatre and her less-than-perfect family, the woman is clarifying in her intensity.

Naomi Watts, Zach Galifanakis, Andrea Riseborough, and Amy Ryan round out the cast and add spice and other assorted flavors to this amazing stew.

If you know and love theatre, see this. If you an an aficionado of super hero movies, see this. If you are a human being, see this. You will be rewarded with a look behind the scenes of these characters-both literally and figuratively- and if you are lucky, you will be rewarded with a look into yourself. 

Damn, I want to do another play...

"I WIsh I Was Here"

To be taken in so completely by a film that over an hour passes, and all you want is more of the story. All that you want is for the magic to continue. All that you want is just one more moment with these important characters. This is just such a film.

The brain child of Zach Braff and his brother, Adam, this story is a beautiful poem to life, and to death, and to dreams, and to purpose. Interwoven amidst it all is a delicate balance of humor. 

This movie was a KICK STARTER project. It not only had the backing of generous donors, it had the addition of generous star power. Kate Hudson plays Zach Braff's wife, Mandy Patinkin plays his father, who is dying of cancer, Josh Gad is Braff's younger brother, and I swear that guy can make me cry faster than almost any actor I know. Rounding out the wonderful cast are the children who play Braff's children, Joey King as Grace, and Pierce Gagnon as Tucker. 

The richest cameo in the bunch is Jim Parson's. I smile just looking at that man. 

Give yourself a delightful present, and wrap this one up with a cup of tea for the night. 

Also, Kassandra Berger, it makes a great case for home-schooling. 

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

I didn't see the first one of these movies, but it was literally my job to go see this one, so I did.

 It was a really difficult job--NOT! I actually had a lot of fun. The action was as thrilling as I'm sure it was meant to be. The writing wasn't Shakespeare, but there was humor and sweetness.
Robert Redford, as Alexander Pierce, just made me sad. He was supposed to be the bad guy, and I didn't believe him. I don't think he believed himself either.
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier was the best actor of the bunch. I believed his pain and confusion. Samuel L. Jackson was, well, Samuel L. Jackson. He is just the coolest fucker on this planet.
Chris Pine as the lead character, was as adequate as someone who looks like they are sculpted out of granite can be. He plays the hero well.
So go--have your exciting escape! A guy who flies on a shield will be there to scoop you up and carry you away!

"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

This movie changed my life.
It really did.
It has been a very long time since I've felt an actual psychic shift while watching a film.
This film is about a man named Walter Mitty (duh), and about his highly active imagination. It is also about how Walter, played incredibly by Ben Stiller, makes his dreams a reality.
The cinematography on this film was so vivid and alive. The richness of the color made me want to crawl inside and live there.
Ben Stiller also directed, and he lined himself up with a stellar supporting cast. His mother was played by Shirley MacLaine, his sister was played by the always hilarious Kathryn Hahn.  Sean Penn shows up as an eccentric photographer, and I had to admit to a twinge of sadness, because I could still see Spicoli under his weathered facade.
The lesser supports were Kristin Wigg as Walter's love interest, and Adam Scott as Walter's nemesis; he was just plain annoying.

This movie will move your soul to new, more insightful heights.
It will rock.Your. World.

"A Late Quartet"

This 2012 film, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, and the lesser known Mark Ivanir was worth the search for it on the shelf at the video store.

I spent almost the entire film trying to suspend my disbelief that Hoffman is actually gone. His was such a distinct, profound talent. With that said, in this movie his perfection was well-matched, especially by Walken. I swear, that man can say more with his face in two minutes of silence than was said with all the words in the entire script. Catherine Keener was her irrepressible self. It is a true joy to watch her work.
Mark Ivanir, best known for his role in "Schlindler's List", was believable as an obsessive musician with with little room for the passion of  actual relationships. Imogen Poots, as the daughter of Hoffman and Keener, was just irritating and awful, but she doesn't take much screen time.

The soundtrack is wonderful, and the depiction of the devotion its takes to make a living as a professional musician is almost as painful as it is beautiful to watch.
The dedication the four main actors had to have to make themselves believable as world-class musicians was truly impressive. All of this work brought home the fact that we all make sacrifices to dedicate ourselves to doing what we love.

"Short Term 12"

This film, written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, was so moving and real I want to see it again and again and share it with all o the Addiction Counselors I know.
The lead actress, Brie Larson was completely engaged in bringing her character of grace to life, and John Gallagher, Jr., who played her fiancé and fellow Counselor, did an amazing job as well.
This is one of those "small" films that ends up being HUGE!
The supporting cast reminded me of many wounded souls I've known. They had big hearts, and irrepressible courage. Kaitlin Dever, as Jayden, was especially noteworthy, and Keith Stanfield, as Marcus, does a rap that Macklemore WISHES he could do.

This movie is about people who work with adolescents who have been damaged by society and by their families of origin. It is about how one  group of extraordinary people rescues another group of extraordinary people, and about how they end up rescuing each other.