As if being a great and universally beloved actor wasn’t enough, Joseph Gordon-Levitt stepped into the writer/director’s chair with Don Jon to prove himself a truly formidable filmmaker as well. This is easily one of the most finely crafted films of 2013, with an excellent screenplay that understands how to layer theme, character, and plot in perfect and impactful harmony, while the performances by Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, and others are all spectacular. Don Jon is simply a great film about the lines between sex, pleasure, and love, and few filmmakers this year so eloquently and entertainingly conveyed a thoughtful message as Gordon-Levitt did here.
Don Jon will arrive on DVD and Blu-Ray December 31st.
[h2]Drinking Buddies[/h2]
Joe Swanberg’s Drinking Buddies is such a wonderful little character piece, one that is resolutely not broad, constantly painting its story about the difference between platonic and romantic love in narrow, profoundly human strokes, with a keen eye for observation and a great ear for the tenor of interpersonal relationships. I love the way the film deepens as it goes along, moving away from the direction one initially expects but winding up in a place that feels completely natural, honest, and satisfying.
Ron Livingston, Anna Kendrick, and especially Jake Johnson are all excellent, giving relaxed and lived-in performances, but Olivia Wilde is the standout, doing her greatest work to date in the very best role she’s ever had. She is terrific here, and I hope that, when Hollywood gives her roles in the future, they take note of exactly how good Wilde is at conveying recognizable human flaws amidst her considerable charisma.
Drinking Buddies is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
[h2]From Up on Poppy Hill[/h2]
While The Wind Rises – which made it onto my Top 10 list – proved a wonderfully fitting swan-song for Hayao Miyazaki, the other Studio Ghibli film that made its way to the United States this year was no slouch at all. Written by the elder Miyazaki, and directed by his son, Goro, From Up On Poppy Hill is a beautifully animated, deftly told tale of loss, love, and the complex relationship between the past and the present in a small seaside town in 1960s Japan. As with The Wind Rises, there is a clear metatextual element here, as the thematic crossroads between legacy and future must obviously be on everybody’s minds at Ghibli these days. But if Poppy Hill is any indication, the future is in good hands – Goro Miyazaki has evolved into a fine animation director, and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
From Up on Poppy Hill is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Read my full review of the film here.
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