Smashed (2012)

I get knocked down, but I get up again

Kate and Charlie are a young married couple who party every night and stumble through every day.  They are both functioning alcoholics who enable the other person's behavior.  When circumstances lead Kate to stop drinking, Charlie is left to sort things out on his own.  The acting is cheesy at a couple of points, but the strong script and beautiful story more than make up for it.  A nicely made movie from an up and coming filmmaker from Athens, GA, James Ponsoldt the man who is also behind The Spectacular Now.

Smashed gets 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Director: James Ponsoldt
Writer: Susan Burke, James Ponsoldt
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer, Megan Mullally
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Metacritic: 71%

The Kings of Summer (2013)

After the boys of summer have gone

Teenager Joe is struggling at home and struggling at school.  Feeling the need to get away from his life, he has a plan.  Recruiting his friends Patrick and Baggio, the trio builds their own cabin away from civilization.  I am a sucker for coming of age films like this one.  This film has echoes of so many of my favorite kid and teenage films (The Goonies, Super 8, Adventureland).  The overall positive tone of this film is tempered by the black humor and real sadness felt by everyone in the film.

The Kings of Summer reigns supreme with 4 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Writer: Chris Galletta
Starring: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Metacritic: 61%