If you ask me, the remote is a critical piece to the PlayStation 3 / BluRay experience! Wiring in the surround sound is also fairly important. So, I watched Away We Go this week but I know I missed a few tidbits. I mean, walking across the room to get the PS3 controller and hit pause - wow, that's a lot of work!! And, it appears my ears no longer know how to function without surround sound. So, I had the TV sound way up, but this was one of those soft-spoken movies and I know some dialogue didn't make it to my ears. Nevertheless, let's begin...For a devoted lover of obnoxious comedy, I have, as of late, become quite fond of these more "real life", independent-type films. First of all, I don't know much about the movie business so I don't really know what constitutes an independent film... and I know sometimes big films are made to feel like small films... so I don't really know what I'm talking about when I say "independent". In this case, however, this movie was made for something like $7 million. By Hollywood standards, I think that is usually the Starbucks budget for blockbuster films, so I'm calling this a small film. There were no special effects, elaborate costuming, massive sets... just more daily life scenarios with a little bit of music from time to time. I'm becoming a big fan of this genre, so if someone could tell me what it's actually called, that would be great.
Away We Go has John Krasinski (aka my beloved Jim Halpert from The Office) and Maya Rudolph (formerly of Saturday Night Live) as a couple in their early thirties who are just sort of drifting. In the opening scene, we find out in a very awkward manner that they are pregnant. The next scene is when she is about 6 months along. I don't remember where they are living initially (or if it even said - might have been lost in my surround soundless ears) but they have moved there to be near his parents. His parents abruptly decide to move out of the country and now John and Maya are left feeling even more lost. They realize they have no ties to where they are currently living and decide to travel around visiting various relatives and friends in hopes of finding the perfect place for them and their baby.
Visiting the different people was hilarious. First, they visited some of her old co-workers, played by Allison Janney (CJ from the West Wing, the stepmom in Juno) and Jim Gaffighan (comedian, Andy from My Boys) and I love both of them. They were this really crass, strange family. Next, they went to see her sister, then to see his cousin (Maggie Gyllenhall) who was this bizarre New Age type, then some friends in Montreal, and then his brother, whose wife just left him. Each stop leaves them more confused and wondering why they are so lost to begin with. It's ends with them choosing a place for their new home.
I thought it was a great movie. Again, following my recent trend, it was more thoughtful and funny in a drier, less-obvious way than my usual choices. I thought it was all handled pretty well. I just wish my beloved Jim Halpert would have used nicer language. :-) Okay, even the way he used foul language was funny!! My only complaint is that the end did show them finally finding a place to call home, but it was in a very unfinished kind of way... "I think this is it..." I prefer a little more finality... but since the whole movie was about confusion and drifting, I guess it was fitting that even their final choice wouldn't feel super final. But, in my mind, it worked out great for them! So, I wish them the best and I give the movie an A
However, I give my movie-watching experience much lower marks. Rest assured that I will have the PS3 remote before I attempt to watch another BluRay... and I will have the surround sound wired in as soon as possible! Otherwise, my next movie to watch will be on DVD. Heaven knows I've got plenty of those. David and I spent most of yesterday afternoon alphabetizing our DVD collection. We could start our own rental business if we wanted!
