I work at a local cinema. Scooping popcorn, tearing tickets, cleaning theatres, I can do it all. It may not be the most glamorous position in the world, but our movies are good (specializing in independent, foreign, and art house) and there are some pretty nice benefits. One of the more dubious istanbul escort honors that falls on me, though, is the t-shirts.
Yes, the t-shirts. Every now and again, usually in conjunction with one of the “bigger†films we’re playing, a film studio sends us promotional garb to wear on the job. It’s not necessarily required that we wear them, but it’s certainly encouraged. This isn’t usually a problem (they’re more comfortable than our work shirts) but there are a few concerns I tend to have. Firstly, what if I didn’t like the film? This was the case when Babieswas released, and thankfully I was allowed to opt out of the t-shirt. escort istanbul However, what if I haven’t actually seen the film? Usually I don’t get a chance to see a movie before its day of release (when the shirt-wearing begins), so it feels a little strange to use my person to istanbul escort bayan advertise something I haven’t yet watched. This was the…
I work at a local cinema. Scooping popcorn, tearing tickets, cleaning theatres, I can do it all. It may not be the most glamorous position in the world, but our movies are good (specializing in independent, foreign, and art house) and there are some pretty nice benefits. One of the more dubious honors that falls on me, though, is the t-shirts.
Yes, the t-shirts. Every now and again, usually in conjunction with one of the “bigger” films we're playing, a film studio sends us istanbul escort bayan promotional garb to wear on the job. It's not necessarily required that we wear them, but it's certainly encouraged. This isn't usually a problem (they're more comfortable than our work shirts) but there are a few concerns I tend to have. Firstly, what if I didn't like the film? This was the case when Babies was released, and thankfully I was allowed to opt out of the t-shirt. However, what if I haven't actually seen the film? Usually I don't get a chance to see a movie before its day of release (when the shirt-wearing begins), so it feels a little strange to use my person to advertise something I haven't yet watched. This was the case with It's Kind of a Funny Story.
Leading up to its release, all I knew of the film came from its poster. This did not help, because it's impossible to differentiate between all the millions of posters that feature nothing but smiling faces inside squares. I hadn't read a single review, either. So when customers approached me and asked about the film I was advertising, I had to shrug my shoulders. I don't know. Looks like it might be comedic and dramatic. Possibly somewhat precious. Now that I've seen it, I'm astounded to learn that my incredibly specific predictions turned out to be right on the mark!
Pictured: Smiling People In Cubes
An oddly light-hearted take on debilitating mental illness, Funny Story begins with its suicidal protagonist (Kier Gilcrhrist, heavily dimpled) admitting himself into a mental ward. He's a teenager with some particularly teenage problems: school applications, parents who don't understand him, and a crush on his best friend's girl. Over the course of his time there, and with the help of a few big-hearted patients, this kid just might learn a thing or two about how small his problems really are. I know that came out a bit sarcastic, but it's literally impossible to write a synopsis of this film that doesn't immediately highlight how cliched this story is!
A central dramatic conflict that develops in this film is that our boy must choose between his long-time unrequited love and the saucy, sassy manic pixie dream teen (Emma Roberts) he meets in the hospital. Surely a relatable predicament for many at-risk teenagers. He is guided by the sage wisdom of a particularly teddy bear-like Zach Galifianakis, who churns out dime store inspirational aphorisms like it's going out of style. It's worth noting that all these actors do a very good job, in spite of the somewhat lame material.
The film is brought to us by the creative team behind the amazing Half Nelson, something I wouldn't believe if I didn't see it myself- the easy answers and happy ending in this film are precisely the reason why Half Nelson was so refreshing back in 2006. It's a nice looking production, and the Annie Hall-esque dream sequences and 4th wall breaks display a playfulness that the rest of the film sorely lacks. A particular highlight is an extended musical number set to Queen's “Under Pressure”.
It's Kind of a Funny Story isn't a bad film, it just isn't a noteworthy one either. It occurs to me that teens are probably the target demographic (it's based on a young adult novel), so perhaps it'll prove more effective for them. There may well be some troubled teenagers who could benefit from its sappy message of living life to the fullest, so it's hard to blame the film for trying. I just don't think I'll be wearing that t-shirt again anytime soon.
