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Tribeca Film Fest! Mindseye Loves POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES And Doesn’t Love NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
I’ve already said quite a bit about how much I enjoyed NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR, and I’ve been waiting to get in reviews of the film during its time at Tribeca.
Ummm... this guy... didn’t seem to like it as much as I did. At all.
But this other film he mentions sounds intriguing, and I tried to get in on Saturday night while I was in NY. It just didn’t time out right. I really want to see this one soon.
Hello Harry,
I saw a couple of flicks at TFF today, one great movie and one shit-sandwich, I wanted to let you know about.
First, the bad. I love me some good teen drama or comedies or dramedies (Bully, Porkies, Igby Goes Down), but Normal Adolescent Behavior was piss-poor. It is the story Amber Tamblyn and this vamping chick with an absolutely giant rack (but with that cleavage too-wide-at-the-top thing) who are part of a six-some sex group in an effort to preclude themselves from having to deal with the vagaries of dating, the judgements of others, and normal highschool life. The characters, except for the main couple, were for the most part barely fleshed out and their motivations felt contrived and the acting was often not much better. This movie did not have much to say that felt real or relatable. The one-on-one relationships and discussions and conflicts these characters have with each other are not actual relationships that you see in waking life.
The symbolism was haltingly unsubtle (The main couple plays with a chemistry set and find that, hey, maybe they have chemistry. This is in a classroom, after school with no teacher present but with all the chemicals out for playtime, unsupervised. -- Nitpicky mayhaps -- but it all feels stupid like this. Don't get me started on the stupid boxes that the six-some use as expressions of their experiences and individuality.) And in a movie dealing with substantial sexual activity, it did not even have the courage to show real nudity. A total gyp. Hard to believe New Line bought it. At least, the soundtrack will be decent though.
On to the good stuff: The Poughkeepsie Tapes.
SPOILER:
OK, I must confess I saw this movie without knowing anything about it and, after the drink or two I had at the bar beforehand, I was not focusing on the opening credits - they may have given it away but I did not pick up on the fact that this was not real. There I was watching this movie and I thought it was real. I was practically shaking from it. If you want someone to have a vicious time at the movies tell them this is a documentary. Thankfully, I get straightened right the hell out as soon as the question and answer session kicked in.
END SPOILER
The P Tapes tells the story of clever and horrific serial killer who has taped his victims being stalked, tortured and killed. The police are led to the tapes by the killer who leads them to the house he has been using. The movie is comprised of selections of this footage left by the killer mixed in with interviews of FBI Profilers and forensic experts and family members.
The Dowdle Brothers have done a lot of good research and made a smart movie. It is shocking at times and succeeds in approaching this too-covered topic in a fresh and thrilling way. The less said the better. This is going to be a BIG movie.
Take it from me, Mindseye.
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Being far far away from New York, I haven't been able to see NAB yet, so I can't really say Mindseye is right or wrong about it. I can say I have been anticipating this film based on what I know of Amber Tamblyn's acting chops, as well as what Beth Schachter herself has to say about it. http://tinyurl.com/2zd5as
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I glad to hear good things from this. Our Podcast stumbled onto this film's trailer a while ago and thought it looked pretty f'n freaky.
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Hey, so I just saw Normal Adolescent Behavior, and as a "normal adolescent" myself, I think that not only was the film great, the acting was perfect and the cast was perfectly casted.
Although some of the content is not exactly what I experience in high school, it is believable and I think that being this age myself that the way the characters talk and interact is completely believable and that maybe (that is, if you aren't a teen yourself), you just don't recognize that.
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I have seen Normal Adolescent Behavior and as a young woman, I don't agree with the review posted here at all. I realize that this will definately be a "love it" or "hate it" film... but any of the reasons I've heard for people not liking it just seem like they're coming from people who don't want to admit that this sort of behavior actually exists. and according to studies, it DOES exist.
I see movies such as NAB as breaking through the silence and delusion some live in that young people aren't engaging in this behaviour. And rather than sweeping it under the carpet, pretending it doesn't exist - [which will help no-one, it will just make sexually active youngins feel shit - like they're doing something wrong] - it is acknowledging reality. Maybe it will get people talking, maybe it will make parents more open to the possibility their kids are doing similar things. And maybe, it will help young people to know that sex isn't actually a crime, but a normal human desire, that can be great when the circumstances are right. By this I mean consensual, safe etc etc.
If anything, I think bringing these issues to the surface could really help more people to be open about it, become more educated about sex and hopefully be more safe.
Sex is real. Kids are engaging in it younger and younger, whether we like it or not. I figure the least society can do is acknowledge this and educate them, rather than just point the finger, say it's wrong and just expect them to stop. We all know it's not gonna stop. And I for one would much rather see these issues out in the open.
As for the acting. It's mainly Amber Tamblyn and Kelli Garner. Anyone who has seen any of their work will know they are more than capable of pulling off amazing performaces. And they did.
Bajeen power. -
is brutal. However to imply that Mindseye is deluded and "doesn't want to admit that this sort of behaviour exists" is a bit of a push. Personally I don't know what to think of a film when its critics are saying that there just wasn't enough nudity to please them and its supporters are soapboxing about how society should be happy to let teens induge in group sex. With protection of course.
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