Mark Duplass – cinemescope

100 Word Review – Tammy (2014)

November 24, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, Drama, F-Rated, RomanceTagged Allison Janney, Ben Falcone, Comedy, Dan Ackroyd, Dan Aykroyd, Drama, Gary Cole, Kathy Bates, Mark Duplass, Melissa McCarthy, Nat Faxon, Romance, Sandra Oh, Susan Sarandon, Toni ColletteLeave a comment

Written by, directed by and starring the wonderful Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, this deserves far more than the pitiful IMDb score it’s received.

Tammy (McCarthy) is fired from her job (by Falcone) and finds out her husband (Nat Faxon) is cheating on her (with Toni Collette) in the same day. Against her mother’s (Allison Janney) wishes, she takes off with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon) on a road trip that will change her life.

Watch it for the awesome cast, the brilliant moments of understated humour and the raucous laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s wonderfully human and just downright delightful.

100 Word Review – The One I Love (2014)

July 11, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Drama, Fantasy, RomanceTagged Charlie McDowell, Drama, Elisabeth Moss, Fantasy, Justin Lader, Mark Duplass, Romance, Ted DansonLeave a comment

There is not much I can say about this film without spoiling it, so here goes.

Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss) seek marriage counselling from a therapist (Ted Danson) who recommends a romantic weekend away to help fix the holes in their relationship.

Debut feature film from director Charlie McDowell (Danson’s stepson) and screenwriter Justin Lader, it was more devised than written. Almost all of the dialogue was improvised around the storyline and for the more complicated scenes Lader would write a few pages as a guide the night before.

The end result is surreal, revealing and eerie.

100 Word Review – Safety Not Guaranteed

May 1, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Action, Comedy, Romance, Sci FiTagged adventure, Aubrey Plaza, Comedy, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, Mark Duplass, Romance, Sci Fi, time travelLeave a comment

Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke… You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.

In 1997, this actually appeared in the classifieds section of an American magazine.

Three journalists (Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni) attempt to find out the truth about Kenneth (Mark Duplass), the recluse who placed it.

There are wonderful characters, so prepare to be moved. Don’t expect explosions. It’s very human, with a grounded level of action and adventure, and a dash of deadpan humour.