Under the Radar

I've decided to start a new feature on the blog called "Under the Radar", unless I come up with a better name. Emily doing the post about Lars and the Real Girl made me think of it. I am a huge fan of the smaller, low budget, independent films, that a lot of times go unnoticed (under the radar), but are really excellent movies. I like a lot of the bigger budget, mainstream movies too, but independent films are my favorite. So, every couple weeks or so, I'm going to highlight one that I've seen and really liked. You guys can take my recommendations or not, my goal is just to put them out there. You never know some of them could end up being Wright Family Classics!

I'm also going to really try to pay attention to the movie ratings and try to only highlight ones the whole family can watch, (and that won't scar B for life). Well, except for this first one. It's rated R, but it's really good and I think the R rating is sort of a stretch, one of the cable channels showed it about a month ago, so maybe you can see it that way.

As you have probably guessed, my first pick is Shopgirl. It came out in 2005, and stars Steve Martin, Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman. Steve Martin also wrote the screenplay.

Claire Danes plays Mirabel, a girl who works at Saks selling evening gloves. Within a couple of days she meets 2 different men. Ray (Steve Martin), an older, sophisticated rich man, and Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), a broke musician who is somewhat socially inept. The scene where Mirabel and Jeremy meet in the laundry mat is the best. Jason Schwartman is so funny in this! I really like him. He was Max in Rushmore, another favorite of mine. As a side note he is Francis Ford Copolla's nephew, which makes him Nick Cage's cousin.

Anyway, Mirabel and Jeremy go on a date and have a one night stand. He then leaves for a couple of months to be a roadie for a band. He really likes Mirabel and decides he needs to improve on some things in himself so she'll like him back. He buys a bunch of self help CD's to listen to while on the road. Very funny. Mirabel doesn't really think about him again, and starts seeing Ray.

That's about all I'm going to say about the plot. The characters in this movie are great. I can't say enough about Jason Schwartzman. I like Claire Danes and think she does a great job with Mirabel. And Steve Martin is the best. I like him so much. His character is pretty serious, but Martin's sense of humor comes out in great ways. I read that Martin had Tom Hanks in mind for the role, and Hanks was going to do it, but the director insisted on Martin playing the part himself.

The cinematography in the movie is really good too. There are some really beautiful scenes and interesting uses of color and light. For instance, if you watch it, notice how the color and light in Mirabel's apartment change subtly with her mood.

So, watch it or don't. If you do, let me know what you thought. I'm still trying to think of why it is R. I watched it when it was on cable a month ago, and I don't think anything was cut out. There is a scene where you see Claire Dane's butt. But they showed that big fat guy's butt on NYPD Blue, and that was on TV. There is another scene where a girl in lingerie seduces Jeremy because she think's he is Mirabel's rich boyfriend Ray. But that scene is more funny than anything. And I don't think it's because of language. None of the characters are really the cursing type. So, I don't know!

Please also let me know if you want me to make this a feature on the blog.