Igby Goes Down (2002)
Written and directed by Burr Steers
The early 2000s seemed to be the prime time for dark, coming of age comedies about dysfunctional families, and that's exactly what Igby Goes Down. I probably would have loved this back in late high school or early college, but I'm just about ten years late and it was quite a chore to get through last night. In spite of the ensemble cast, the acting was pretty terrible. The biting, clever dialogue seemed completely forced. The cast seemed to have no chemistry whatsoever, and the characters reactions to EVERYTHING were unbelievable and absolutely ridiculous, making every single one of them detestable at best. I won't deny that Igby Goes Down had its moments, but they were few and far between.
Kick-Ass (2010)
Written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, directed by Matthew Vaughn
My interest in and passion for film has waned considerably since I've become so obsessed with reading over the past couple of years, but Kick-Ass was completely refreshing. One of those rare films that I had very high expectations for and they were exceeded. The acting is good, not amazing, but that doesn't even matter as the film's feel and visuals are almost untouchable for this genre. Every character is lovable and fascinating in their own right, and the ridiculous concept comes across in an incredibly charming way. Unsurprising to me, what I loved best about Kick-Ass was the contradiction of these young kids (high school age and younger) being involved in such violent acts. The writing and direction breezes over this like it's no big deal, and this blows my mind. That being said, the violence is gratuitous but artfully done, let alone necessary. Overall, Kick-Ass is both fun and dark, if not completely messed up, thus totally up my alley.
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