Like a window to your soul...

So I've been doing alright with this new format and enjoying myself a little but it grows harder (he says without irony) to keep up with movies in theaters. Let's face facts. Movies are expensive and if you have a family (I don't but you may because you aren't 50 shades of fucked like I am...to paraphrase 50 Shades...) it is even harder to find a movie that doesn't involve a smurf or squarepants or minions of some sort. I will say that Frozen was fun but parents know that once your kid has screamed out "Let it Go" for the 90th time, we need a little me time and hopefully some boobies or some adult language or both! That's where your boy Mr. Unhappy comes in. I watch a whole lot of shitty movies. The type when you look at your list and say "This looks good but do I want to waste 2 hours of my life watching it." I've done the work for you. So what follows is my what to watch when the watching is good and some to avoid. 

Open Windows

Open Windows is a movie shot solely as though you are watching it on the screen of Elijah Woods character's computer. Modern Family just did an episode with a similar premise. This is not the loving Pritchett/Dunphy clan. This is a voyeuristic ride through the world of celebrity stalking. Elijah Wood plays Nick Chambers, an avid fan of Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey who I love) the "It" girl in Hollywood. He has won a contest to have a date with Jill but as the date arrives, Jill cancels or so Chord, the owner of the website sponsoring the contest. So as a consolation prize, he hacks Jill's phone and computer to give Nick an open window into the life of the celebrity he loves. This is a movie about our culture today where every moment in a celebrity's life is fair game. The Fappening would fit in well with this movie. How far would you go? Isn't it harmless to listen to her private calls or look through her hotel room window? Who is being hurt there? Obviously it isn't but this movie lets you decide how to feel. There is a creepiness and overwhelming desire to root for Nick, even though he is complicit in everything that goes on. There is a desire to see that bitch actress who thinks she's too good for her fans get her just desserts. Sasha Grey is the winner here. Making the move from hardcore porn to legitimate movies is hard (again without a slice of irony) and she is doing it flawlessly. I love her character Jill who makes liking her as a person not easy but still appeals to the audience enough that you don't want her to die or be harmed. It is a fine line to balance and Grey does it easily. She's quickly becoming an actress to watch in Hollywood. I hope she finds more roles. The promise seen in The Girlfriend Experience is paid off here.

Mr. Unhappy sez: This is a rare movie that gets the elements right. It scares, it has a message and it keeps the viewer watching. 

Killer Legends

I feel I may have been one of the only ones to watch Cropsey, a documentary on an urban legend that takes you on an adventure and keeps suspense throughout. Sadly Killer Legends, the follow up is not nearly as intriguing. I liked the legends and the look at different urban legends from across the country but the overall creepiness is lacking for a movie about what led to people believing in the hook man or the poisoned Halloween candy or Texarkana's The Town that Dreaded Sundown (the new movie is on Netflix...check it out for a fun horror movie.) I wanted more from this movie and it just didn't deliver enough on the scares. It was intriguing to see where the legends came from but I would recommend Cropsey if you wanna feel the fear of the legend and not just the legend behind them.

Mr. Unhappy sez: As a documentary it was sufficient. As a follow up to Cropsey, I felt let down. Still an interesting trip if you ever wondered about urban legends.

Life After Beth

So you like zombies. Well then this movie is right up your alley. Aubrey Plaza stars as Beth, a girl who dies but is brought back to life through a never quite explained cause and plays havoc with the lives of her boyfriend and her family. This is a comedy and I Dane DeHaan is great as Beth's slightly creepy boyfriend, Zach. Having lost Beth, Zach is losing his touch with reality. He spends his time laying in his room snuggling a scarf owned by Beth. When her parents stop taking his calls or letting him come over, he takes matters into his own hands and stumbles upon his now zombiefied girlfriend Beth. She seems normal enough but like any good zombie movie fan will tell you, the thing inside your girlfriend is not Beth. Soon she is having mood swings, bringing dirt to the attic and only being soothed by horrible muzak. Life After Beth is an interesting ride and one worth taking. It is crazy and scary but overall it is a winner if you like funny crazy movies and I do. Aubrey Plaza is one of my favorite actresses and hopefully due for more acting roles. She's so pretty I might take advantage of her zombie body...and now I am really rediscovering my need for therapy.

Mr. Unhappy sez: Life after Beth seems like a fun ride to go on...but I'm not sure I could deal with having a zombie apocalypse so I could have my lady back...I take that back. I probably would. I'm that romantic.

Hesher

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of my favorite actors. I wanted to like his writing and directing debut Don Jon a year or so ago but I just couldn't. There was zero point to it. Hesher is a movie from a few years ago which stars JGL as Hesher, a loud abrasive homeless slacker who moves in with a grieving widower, his mother and his equally grieving and angry son. Life is not easy for this family and having someone like Hesher in their lives doesn't make it easier but he does have a healing factor to this family. This is a movie about loss and how you recover when your world is shit and you just can't move forward. Natalie Portman drops in throughout and the chemistry between her and JGL is palpable. I'd love to see these two star in a romantic comedy or just eat cereal. Hesher is a fun movie and has a heart that makes you appreciative of the anti-hero Hesher. I feel this was the tone JGL went for with Don Jon but Hesher is a better movie. It has a point and you enjoy it.... something I felt was lacking in Don Jon.

Mr. Unhappy sez: Hesher is loud, angry, dangerous and a jackass. This movie is a highlight of the best of JGL. The juice is worth the squeeze...to paraphrase The Girl Next Door...

Hesher and Killer Legends are streaming on Hulu. 

Open Windows is streaming on Netflix.

Life After Beth is available on Amazon Prime.